Using Cisco 6454 Fiber Interconnect as a SAN Switch

[PSehat]

Hi folks,

We just bought a new UCS and it came with 2 sets of 6454-FI with 16 FC-supported port
Can we use these ports as a SAN Switch and replace them with our Brocade?

[balaji.bandi]

personally NO for me. look at the design guide :

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/UCS_CVDs/flexpod_vmware_vs_7_design.html

[Wes Austin]

I dont understand the question. You are asking if you can replace the Brocade with 6400 ? or the other way around?

If the SAN array is connected directly to the UCS Fabric Interconnect, it can act as a SAN switch in FC Switching Mode.

[PSehat]

Hi, Thank you for the reply.

this new 6454 comes with 16 ports as FC, so my question is:
is it possible to uplink this FI to my SAN storage and connect other servers to this FI to act as a SAN switch?

I'm looking to decommission our brocade SAN switch

[Kirk J]

Think it would help if you would post a basic before and after picture of what you are envisioning...

FIs are only going to support Cisco UCS integrated servers connecting to it.  The FIs (in FC switching mode) could directly connect to target FC storage arrays (assuming they are supported, see (https://ucshcltool.cloudapps.cisco.com/public/#) 

However, non-UCSM integrated servers would not have a way to connect FC to the FIs without going through your brocade, which you are looking to remove from the picture.....  

Does that accurately describe what you are looking to accomplish?

Kirk...

[RedNectar]

Hi @PSehat ,

Did you mean 

"Can we use these ports as a SAN Switch and replace them with our Brocade FC switch with the 6454-FIs?"

because 

"Can we use these ports as a SAN Switch and replace them with our Brocade?"

doesn't make sense!

Anyway. What you CAN do is described in the Cisco UCS to Brocade  Connectivity Guide White Paper.  You won't be replacing the Brocade, but you certainly can integrate the Brocade SAN with your UCS.