Two Switches different versions NX-OS

[Paulo Mauricio Silva]

Hi.

Today our data center have 2 switches: MDS-9513 and MDS-9506 NX-OS version 5.0(1A), vmwares hosts have 1 HBA on 9506 and another HBA on 9513, all hosts have multipath, my traffic is balanced and redundant with the storages. Look attached file.

A new switch MDS-9710 NX-OS version 8.2(2) will be in operation next week.

If I connect the vmware's hosts in MDS-9513 and MDS-9710 the multipath will work? The NX-OS 8.2(2) have features that 5.0(1A) don't have. If I upgrade the switches 9506 and 9513 to version 6.2 hosts multipath will work?

Or the best choice is to migrate all the hosts to MDS-9710?

Thks for attention.

Paulo Maurício

[marcusr · Accepted solution]

Hi Paulo,

Multipath should work as long as the paths through both fabrics are operational, but I strongly recommend you to upgrade the switch to at least the minimum recommended release (see the url below).

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/mds9000/sw/b_MDS_NX-OS_Recommended_Releases.html

As you know, switches running different NX-OS levels must still adhere to the same Fibre Channel standards, but there are some specific scalability factors that may change from one version to another (e.g. zoning configuration limits, specific features that were deprecated in later codes etc), so you will definitely want to validate that.

"All Cisco data center switches including MDS and Nexus platforms are interoperable among each other at all code levels released on Cisco web site. If there is any feature specific code level recommendation for a release, we publish the information in Release Notes and product configuration guides."

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/mds9000/interoperability/matrix/intmatrx/Matrix5.html

Here is the short answer: migrating all the hosts to MDS 9700 is the best option if you consider that the MDS 9500 will reach End of Support in 2020, but also considering the scalability and advanced features in the 9700 platform (e.g. advanced slowdrain troubleshooting capabilities, ISL diagnostics, Analytics etc).

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/storage-networking/mds-9000-series-multilayer-switches/eos-eol-notice-c51-734634.html

I hope this helps.

Marcus

[Paulo Mauricio Silva]

Hi Marcus.

Thanks for your help.

That's it, we are going to migrate all the hosts to MDS 9710. First the hosts and storages connected 9506, then hosts will be connected on MDS 9513 and 9710 this my question: load balancing will work? Today ok, it works.

Thks again 

Regards

Paulo Maurício

[marcusr]

Hi Paulo,

Multipath should work as long as the paths through both fabrics are operational, but I strongly recommend you to upgrade the switch to at least the minimum recommended release (see the url below).

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/mds9000/sw/b_MDS_NX-OS_Recommended_Releases.html

As you know, switches running different NX-OS levels must still adhere to the same Fibre Channel standards, but there are some specific scalability factors that may change from one version to another (e.g. zoning configuration limits, specific features that were deprecated in later codes etc), so you will definitely want to validate that.

"All Cisco data center switches including MDS and Nexus platforms are interoperable among each other at all code levels released on Cisco web site. If there is any feature specific code level recommendation for a release, we publish the information in Release Notes and product configuration guides."

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/mds9000/interoperability/matrix/intmatrx/Matrix5.html

Here is the short answer: migrating all the hosts to MDS 9700 is the best option if you consider that the MDS 9500 will reach End of Support in 2020, but also considering the scalability and advanced features in the 9700 platform (e.g. advanced slowdrain troubleshooting capabilities, ISL diagnostics, Analytics etc).

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/storage-networking/mds-9000-series-multilayer-switches/eos-eol-notice-c51-734634.html

I hope this helps.

Marcus

[marcusr]

Hi Paulo,

Multipath should work as long as the paths through both fabrics are operational, but I strongly recommend you to upgrade the switch to at least the minimum recommended release (search for MDS 9000 recommended releases on Cisco.com).

As you know, switches running different NX-OS levels must still adhere to the same Fibre Channel standards, but there are some specific scalability factors that may change from one version to another (e.g. zoning configuration limits, specific features that were deprecated in later codes etc), so you will definitely want to validate that.

"All Cisco data center switches including MDS and Nexus platforms are interoperable among each other at all code levels released on Cisco web site. If there is any feature specific code level recommendation for a release, we publish the information in Release Notes and product configuration guides."

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/mds9000/interoperability/matrix/intmatrx/Matrix5.html

Here is the short answer: migrating all the hosts to MDS 9700 is the best option if you consider that the MDS 9500 will reach End of Support in 2020, but also considering the scalability and advanced features in the 9700 platform (e.g. advanced slowdrain troubleshooting capabilities, ISL diagnostics, Analytics etc).

I hope this helps.

Marcus