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UCS integration issue with Brocade switch

robin99
Level 1
Level 1

I am very new to the storage world and would need some help.

I am having issue at UCS integration with Brocade switch. The brocade switch is running FOC 6.4.1 and NPIV enable on the ports connecting to 6120XP. I I have done the pinning of VMware’s vHBA to the FC uplink but the switch could only see the WWPN and WWN of the fabric interconnect. All blade servers are powered up. I had reset the UCS blade too but no luck. The FC switch is using zoning without VSAN but at the fabric interconnects I use the default VSAN (1). The 6120Xps are having these detail:

  • •- end-host for FC mode.
  • •- UCS 1.4(3m)
  • •- Each blade has M72KR card installed

I am not really sure if this integration will work honestly as all the sample design and confiig document I found are using VSAN. The brocade guy said VSAN is not used anymore as SAN Zoning is the better way. Has anyone done this kind of setup before or having some idea of what could be the fix? Any reference configuration is much appreciated.

Thanks

1 Accepted Solution

Accepted Solutions

Robert Burns
Cisco Employee
Cisco Employee

Robin,

Which flavor of M72KR cards are you using?  Emulex (E) or Qlogic (Q)?

There's no problem using UCS with brocade for FC.  UCS will utilize only VSAN 1 (default) as brocade doesn't support this concept. 

Are you trying to boot from SAN or just add a LUN to a local OS installation?

If you're doing a SAN boot, ensure you've added the Option ROM for the Emulex or Qlogic to the Host Firmware Package in the Service Profile for this host . Without it, the host will never attempt to boot from SAN.  Also ensure you've setup a boot policy with the Array targets properly configured.  An easy way to tell if the HBA Option ROM is loaded is to watch the server boot, and see if the Emulex or Qlogic Option ROM messages appear during the boot sequence.

Let's start there, and wait for your answers.

Regards,

Robert

View solution in original post

7 Replies 7

Robert Burns
Cisco Employee
Cisco Employee

Robin,

Which flavor of M72KR cards are you using?  Emulex (E) or Qlogic (Q)?

There's no problem using UCS with brocade for FC.  UCS will utilize only VSAN 1 (default) as brocade doesn't support this concept. 

Are you trying to boot from SAN or just add a LUN to a local OS installation?

If you're doing a SAN boot, ensure you've added the Option ROM for the Emulex or Qlogic to the Host Firmware Package in the Service Profile for this host . Without it, the host will never attempt to boot from SAN.  Also ensure you've setup a boot policy with the Array targets properly configured.  An easy way to tell if the HBA Option ROM is loaded is to watch the server boot, and see if the Emulex or Qlogic Option ROM messages appear during the boot sequence.

Let's start there, and wait for your answers.

Regards,

Robert

Hi Robert,

I am using M72KR-Q and boot from SAN. I did not do the option ROM before so I started doing it. When accessing the HBA option ROM, it does not have M72KR option, and only M71KR-Q/E are available. DOes this matter?  I selected the M71KR-Q under HBA option ROM and also the B200M2 for server type under the boot option policy, map the host firmware policy to the server's service profile and reset the blade. I monitored from KVM but did not see the Qlogic option ROM messages. Unfortunately the SAN switch guy has left for today. I will update you again tomorrow and feel free to advise if you think I should check on other stuff. Many thanks for your response on this.

regards,

Robert, you are right that about the boot policy. After I put the SAN target WWN in the boot option and associated with service profile, the FC switch could now see the WWN in UCS. Thanks

Robert:

May I need your expertise to clarify something?

Are you saying I DO NOT have to create another 2 separate VSAN? I can JUST make use of the default VSAN of 1. How does the default VSAN 1 makes sense in a typical 2 VSAN setup recommended by Cisco assuming using 2 Fabric Interconnects, 2 Brocade FC swtiches in this case, etc.

Thanks.

SiM

Hi SiM,

The VSAN technology and recommendations only apply to Cisco Storage devices as the other vendors don't participate in the technology (afaik).

With regards to seperating fabrics, in the case of using 2 FIC, 2 Brocade switches you would keep them seperate physically rather than virtually (with a VSAN).

I would expect to see something like this:

vHBA / HBA 1 > FEX 1 > FIC A > Brocade 1 > Storage HBA 1 / Other Device HBA 1

vHBA / HBA  2 > FEX 2 > FIC B > Brocade 2 > Storage HBA 2 / Other Device HBA 2

You would not have a ISL between the Brocade switches or any kind of zoneset distribution between them, so that they remain seperated.

I hope this helps.

JB.

rplaza2005
Level 1
Level 1

Hi Robert

I have a similar scheme, but I want just add a LUN to a local OS installation from vmware ESXi.

From the Fabric Interconnect I have connection to the SAN:

FI-CNT-IPT-A(nxos)# show npv flogi-table

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SERVER                                                                  EXTERNAL

INTERFACE VSAN FCID             PORT NAME               NODE NAME       INTERFACE

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

vfc691    11   0x012b01 20:00:00:25:b5:10:00:0e 20:00:00:25:b5:00:00:0f fc2/1

Total number of flogi = 1.

FI-CNT-IPT-A(nxos)#

but from the vmware ESXi installed locally on a blade can not see the assigned LUN on the SAN.

Please, how can I solve this?

1. What kind of storage array?

2. Can you see the host initiator logged into the array?

3. Have you zoned (on the switch) and masked (on the array) the LUN correctly?

If this is all setup correctly, a simple re-scan of the HBA from the host should present the LUN.

Regards,

Robert

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