device-alias change - more needed to make it work ?

[jpfoley704]

OK, first timer here, so be nice :)

I have a nexus 5548 (2 actually) on which we're using both ethernet and fibre channel ports. Question is about the fibre channel.

Disclaimer - this switch was set up by a VAR we use sometimes, so I wasn't around when it was initially configured. How many times have you heard that, right ?

Some of the FC ports are connected to a storage device (NetApp) and tape drives, forming a VSAN that we use just for the backup of the NetApps.

Earlier this week we changed the controller on the NetApp, which of course changed the wwpn of the initiators on the NetApp. I *thought* that I would just have to change the device-alias of the 2 NetApp ports in the switch to use the new wwpns, but after doing that, it's still not working.

I did a "no device-alias name <alias name>" and a "device name <alias name> pwwn <WWPN>", which worked, and I'm seeing the new entry in the device-alias database, but the storage device is still not seeing the tape drive. Is there something else that would need to be changed or refreshed after a device-alias is changed ?

   Thanks,

      John

[jihicks]

Hi John,

First, you need to check your zones and see if they are really using device-alias.

Look in the running-config for:

!Full Zone Database Section for vsan xxx

Do your zones have

"member pwwn xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx "

or

"member device-alias abcdef"

If it is device-alias, then reactivate the zoneset for that VSAN.  You can find the active one with the command:

show zoneset active vsan xxx ( where xxx is the vsan number )

Now activate it:

conf t

zoneset activate name <name>  vsan xxx

If the zones contain PWWN and not device-alias, then you will need to update the zones containing the old pwwn with the new pwwn and then reactivate the zoneset.

Best regards,

Jim

[jihicks · Accepted solution]

Hi John,

I don't see where you said that you did a "device-alias commit".

If you didn't, then that may be the problem.

conf t

device-alias commit

If you did, check "show flogi database" and make sure that you have the correct PWWN for the Netapp Controller and that it shows up as logged into the fabric. Make sure this is what you put in the device-alias for " ilcana11_p1".

Best regards,

Jim

[jpfoley704]

yep, that was it -the flogi database showed that I did not used the correct wwpn when I changed the device-alias. Once I replace that with the correct wwpn (and did the device-alias commit), and waited 30 seconds or so, everything worked - there was no need to reactive the zoneset or anything.

   Thanks much for your help - 

         John

[jpfoley704]

Hi Jim, and thanks for the reply. 

I checked the running config, and the zones are using the "device-alias" nomenclature :

zone name z_ilcana11_p1_ILCTLIB01_DRIVE3_p1 vsan 11
    member device-alias ilcana11_p1
    member device-alias ILCTLIB01_DRIVE3_p1

So that's good, I guess. I then tried reactivating the zoneset, but got :

ilcsnex01(config)#  zoneset activate  name zs_Backup_Odd vsan 11
WARNING: Specified zoneset already active and unchanged

What I did notice in listing the zones and zonesets was this :

ilcsnex01(config)# show zoneset active vsan 11
zoneset name zs_Backup_Odd vsan 11
  zone name z_ilcana11_p1_ILCTLIB01_DRIVE3_p1 vsan 11
    device-alias ilcana11_p1
  * fcid 0x010020 [device-alias ILCTLIB01_DRIVE3_p1]
  

......  and ....

ilcsnex01(config)# show zone active
zone name z_ilcana11_p1_ILCTLIB01_DRIVE3_p1 vsan 11
  device-alias ilcana11_p1
* fcid 0x010020 [device-alias ILCTLIB01_DRIVE3_p1]

So on the zone I'm interested in, "z_ilcana11_p1_ILCTLIB01_DRIVE3_p1", I don't know how to interpret this output. It shows the device-alias for the NetApp filer, but there's no asterisk next to it. I'm assuming that means something, but not sure what - any idea on that ?

     Thanks,

       John