Fabric OS Administrator's Guide v7.0.0 (53-1002148-02, June 2011)

Fabric OS Administrator’s Guide 225
53-1002148-02
Supported platforms for Virtual Fabrics
10
The following restrictions apply:
• EX_Ports and VEX_Ports can be in only the base switch.
• ICL ports cannot be in a logical switch that is using XISLs.
• The default logical switch cannot use XISLs.
• The default logical switch cannot be designated as the base switch.
• VE_Ports on the FR4-18i blade are supported on the base switch only for carrying Fibre
Channel routing (FCR) traffic to VEX_Ports. These VE_Ports are not supported for carrying
logical fabric traffic over XISLs.
• Starting in Fabric OS v7.0.0, VE_Ports on the FX8-24 blade are supported on a logical switch
that is using an XISL, and on the base switch as an XISL.
NOTE
For the FX8-24 blade, if XISL use is enabled it is not recommended that you configure VE_Ports
on both the logical switch and the base switch, because FCIP tunnels support only two hops
maximum.
Virtual Fabrics interaction with other Fabric OS features
Table 48 lists some Fabric OS features and considerations that apply when using Virtual Fabrics.
FR4-18i: FC ports
GE ports
Yes (F, E)
Yes (VE)
No
Yes (VE)
No
Yes (VE, VEX)
ICL ports Yes Yes Yes
1. In the Brocade DCX and DCX 8510-8, ports 56–63 of the FC8-64 blade are not supported as E_Ports on the
default logical switch. The Brocade DCX-4S and DCX 8510-4 do not have this limitation.
2. In the Brocade DCX and DCX 8510-8, ports 48–63 of the FC8-64 blade are not supported in the base switch.
The Brocade DCX-4S and DCX 8510-4 do not have this limitation.
TABLE 48 Virtual Fabrics interaction with Fabric OS features
Fabric OS feature Virtual Fabrics interaction
Access Gateway Virtual Fabrics is not supported on a switch if AG mode is enabled.
Admin Domains Virtual Fabrics and Admin Domains are mutually exclusive and are not supported at the
same time on a switch. To use Admin Domains, you must first disable Virtual Fabrics; to
use Virtual Fabrics, you must first delete all Admin Domains.
Refer to “Deleting all user-defined Admin Domains non-disruptively” on page 356 for
information on deleting Admin Domains without disrupting device-to-device
communication.
Configuration upload
and download
Virtual Fabrics uses a configuration file that is different from the configuration file used
to download system configuration parameters. Refer to Chapter 8, “Maintaining the
Switch Configuration File,” for more information about how Virtual Fabrics affects the
configuration file.
Encryption Encryption functionality using the FS8-18 blade is available only on the default logical
switch.
TABLE 47 Blade and port types supported on logical switches (Continued)
Blade type Default logical switch User-defined logical switch Base switch