ISL between Cisco and Brocade SAN switch

[Ibrahim_Khalil]

We are using existing Brocade SAN switch and purchased new cisco SAN switch (MDS 9396T). Now we would like to create one fabric across both switch or configure ISL between these.
Anyone please guide me, how could we configure ISL between cisco and brocade?

[balaji.bandi]

We have some installation nexus 5K and brocade, Plain ISL is good to go.

Look at some sameple config :

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/mds9000/interoperability/guide/interopgd/ICG_im2.html

[Bhavin Yadav]

Hi,
Let me ask this - Are you trying to put MDS and BRCD, both in NPIV mode? Like both doing zoning? Is this going to be in production?

There is a migration guide we published (refreshing soon) to help you with migration: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/storage-networking/mds-9700-series-multilayer-directors/white-paper-c11-732037.html

But we do not recommend both switches with NPIV feature enable in the same fabric, connected to each other (using ISL), out of migration maintenance window.

If you are using either Cisco MDS in NPV mode or BRCD in AG mode, interoperability will be fine. Here is the interop matrix: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/mds9000/interoperability/matrix/intmatrx.html

[Ibrahim_Khalil]

Hi Yadav,  
We are currently using BRCD in production and adding MDS as newly purchased. That's why we need to use extended fabric. Right now AG mode for BRCD and NPIV mode for MDS both are disabled.

Now, we have putted interop 3 in MDS and by default interop mode 0 was BRCD. After connecting FC cable between BRCD and MDS, we are showing BRCD zone configuration in MDS with fc alias.

@Bhavin Yadav, Could you please suggest your recommendation?

[Bhavin Yadav]

Great to know that you now see zoning config in MDS (From BRCD). What else you need? I am not sure.

[Ibrahim_Khalil]

@Bhavin Yadav 

After configure the ISL, we have done the zoning with a host port in BRCD and storage port in MDS but zone member is not showing active and device is not communicating.

We have been set interop mode 3 and zone mode Basic in MDS. Also you can see the attachment for diagram.

Do we need to change any configuration? Please help me to resolve this.
-------------------

fcalias name ALS_DC1_HIT_DKC0_3A vsan 10   -----------> [Connected in Cisco]
pwwn 50:06:0e:80:08:79:4d:20

fcalias name ALS_DC1_HIT_DKC0_3C vsan 10 ------------> [Connected in Cisco]
pwwn 50:06:0e:80:08:79:4d:22

fcalias name Als_DC_NGD_ESX01_HBA1 vsan 10 ----------> [Connected in BRCD]
pwwn 50:01:43:80:31:37:7b:b0

zone name ZONE_DC_NGD_ESX01_HBA1_DC1_HIT_DKC0_3A vsan 10
pwwn 50:01:43:80:31:37:7b:b0
* fcid 0x0f0000 [pwwn 50:06:0e:80:08:79:4d:20]

zone name ZONE_DC_NGD_ESX01_HBA1_DC1_HIT_DKC0_3C vsan 10
pwwn 50:01:43:80:31:37:7b:b0
* fcid 0x0f0020 [pwwn 50:06:0e:80:08:79:4d:22]

[Bhavin Yadav]

Make sure to distribute zoneset.
https://www.cisco.com/c/m/en_us/techdoc/dc/reference/cli/n5k/commands/zoneset-configuration-mode.html