HP StorageWorks Fabric OS 6.x administrator guide (5697-7344, March 2008)

102 Configuring advanced security features
distribution, Fabric OS 6.0.0 switches may enforce FCS policy and perform database distribution among
5.3.0 and 6.0.0 switches while still allowing pre-5.3.0 switches to join the fabric.
• Distribution to pre-5.3.0 switches with specific Domain IDs
When specific Domain IDs are given for the distribution, all domains must be on a switch with Fabric
OS 5.3.0 or later. If one of the domains is pre-5.3.0 the distribution operation will fail.
• Distribution to pre-5.3.0 switches using the wild card (*) character
When the wild card character is specified, distribution succeeds even if the fabric contains pre-5.3.0
switches. However, the FCS database will be sent only to switches with a Fabric OS of 5.2.0 or later in
the fabric and not to pre-5.2.0 switches. Fabric OS 5.2.0 switches receive the distribution and will
ignore the FCS database.
FCS policy restrictions
The backup FCS switches normally cannot modify the policy. However, if the primary FCS switch in the
policy list is not reachable, then a back-up FCS switch will be allowed to modify the policy.
Once an FCS policy is configured and distributed across the fabric, only the primary FCS switch can
perform certain operations. Operations which affect fabric wide configuration are allowed only from the
primary FCS switch. Backup and non-FCS switches cannot perform security, zoning and AD operations that
affect the fabric configuration. The following error message are returned if a backup or non-FCS switch tries
to perform these operations.
“Can only execute this command on the primary FCS switch.”
Operations that do not affect the fabric configuration, such as show or local switch commands, would be
allowed on back-up and non-FCS switches.
FCS enforcement applies only for user-initiated fabric wide operations. Internal fabric data propagation
because of a fabric merge is not blocked. Consequently, a new switch which joins the FCS enabled fabric
could still propagate the AD and zone database.
Table 26 shows the commands for switch operations for a Primary FCS enforcement.
FCS enforcement does not apply to pre-5.3.0 switches and they will be able to initiate all operations.
Table 26 Switch operations
Allowed on FCS switches Allowed on all switches
secPolicyAdd (Allowed on all switches for
SCC/DCC policies as long as it is not fabric-wide)
secPolicyShow
secPolicyCreate (Allowed on all switches for
SCC/DCC policies as long as it is not fabric-wide)
fddcfg –localaccept/localreject
secPolicyDelete (Allowed on all switches for
SCC/DCC policies as long as its not fabric-wide)
userconfig, Passwd, Passwdcfg (Fabric-wide
distribution is not allowed from a backup or
non-FCS switch.)
secPolicyRemove (Allowed on all switches for
SCC/DCC policies as long as its not fabric-wide)
secPolicyActivate
fddcfg –-fabwideset secPolicySave
Any fabric-wide commands secPolicyAbort
All zoning commands except the show commands SNMP commands
All AD commands configupload
Any local-switch commands
Any AD command that does not affect fabric-wide
configuration