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Web Tools Administrator’s Guide 10-1
Publication Number: 53-0000522-09
Chapter
10
Administering Zoning
This chapter briefly describes zoning and provides the procedures for managing zoning using Brocade
Web Tools. It contains the following sections:
• “Introducing Zoning,” next
• “Managing Zoning with Web Tools” on page 10-2
• “Managing Zone Aliases” on page 10-6
• “Managing Zones” on page 10-8
• “Managing QuickLoops” on page 10-10
• “Managing Fabric Assist Zones” on page 10-12
• “Managing Zone Configurations” on page 10-15
• “Managing the Zoning Database” on page 10-22
Introducing Zoning
Zoning enables you to partition your storage area network (SAN) into logical groups of devices that can
access each other. For example, you can partition your SAN into two zones, winzone and unixzone, so
that your Windows servers and storage do not interact with your UNIX servers and storage.
Zones can be configured dynamically. They can vary in size, depending on the number of fabric-
connected devices, and devices can belong to more than one zone. Because zone members can access
only other members of the same zone, a device not included in a zone is not available to members of
that zone.
When using a mixed fabric—that is, a fabric containing v5.x, v4.x, v3.x, and v2.x switches—you
should use the switch with the highest Fabric OS level to perform zoning tasks. Refer to “Best Practices
for Zoning” on page 10-28 for more recommendations about zoning.
When zone or Fabric Assist (FA) zone members are specified by fabric location (domain, area) only, or
by device name (node name or port WWN) only, then zone boundaries can be enforced at the hardware
level, and the zone is referred to as a “hard zone.”
When zone elements are specified by fabric location (domain, area) and other elements of the same zone
are specified by device name (node name or port WWN), zone enforcement depends on Name Server
lookups, and the zone is referred to as a “soft zone.”
For more specific information about zoning concepts, refer to the Fabric OS Administrator’s Guide.