MDS 9148 ISL

[kinskins01]

Hi,

I have two MDS 9148s in a Production. One MDS is in VSAN 2 and the second in VSAN 3. Both have zoning and zone sets configured and are not connected ie no ISL between them.

I have two MDS 9148s in a DR Site and want to link MDS1 in Production to MDS1 in the DR site. I also want to link MDS2 in Prod to MDS2 in the DR site.

The ISLs will be used for SAN to SAN replication traffic and I will have to Zone SAN interfaces in Prod and DR to each other for partnership. Separate Zoning and ZoneSets are in use in each site.

How do I go about configuring the pairs of MDS switches so that I can Zone interfaces on MDS1 in Prod and MDS1 in DR?

Do I have to use the same ZoneSet between MDS1 in Prod and MDS1 in DR?

Is there a way to do it without distributing the ZoneSet between MDS1 in Prod and MDS1 in DR?

I want to set it up so that if MDS switches were shutdown in the DR site that they wouldn't have any affect on the Production fabric, except for SAN to SAN traffic obviously.

Should I be using enhanced Zoning?

[dakester]

Hi,

Hi,

Proposed Production with DR Topology:

VSAN 2
Prod91481 - ISL - DR91481

VSAN 3
PROD91482 - ISL - DR91482

I think the default switchport mode on the 9148 is Fx, so you would need to configure the ISL interface
switchport mode E (or auto)
and place it in the desired VSAN.
When the ISL comes up the zonesets will merge.

You will want to enable "zoneset distribute full vsan x" so the full zoning databse is also merged.

Enhanced zoning will lock the vsan so that only one person can make zoning changes in the VSAN.

Be sure the new switches are running the same version of NX-OS.

Here is a whitepaper of merging two existing switches.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/ps4159/ps4358/products_tech_note09186a00802205ff.shtml
It's not exactly the same as what you are doing because one switch will not have any zoning.

Advantages of enhanced zoning
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/datacenter/mds9000/sw/5_0/configuration/guides/fabric/nxos/zone.html#wp1754759

Is this what you are looking for?

Regards,

David

[kinskins01]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. You have described the setup as I plan to configure. I have the E ports ready and ZoneSet distribution is enabled.

I will enable enhanced zoning, just have basic at the minute.

I had read the white papers but am un-sure about the best practices.

To me it would seem that it would be better to have one ZoneSet across the two switches. If I removed the ZoneSet on the DR side and setup the ISL, I presume the ZoneSet on the Prod side would appear on the DR side and then I could add the DR Zones to the ZoneSet and activate.

I could then create a zone between the pwwn on each SAN and activate again.

Does this sound ok? I want to set it up to be as stable as possible and follow best practices.

[dakester · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Yes, that sounds OK.

I presumed there was no zoning on the new DR switches.

The White paper shows existing zoning on both switches.

If you don't want the existing zoning database on the DR switches, then clear them and distribute the zoning from the Prod switches to the DR switches.

Regards,

David

[kinskins01]

thanks