.Part 1 Architecture HP SAN Design Reference Guide 785351-001

• “C-series VSANs with IVR” (page 36)—Implemented using C-series IVR. IVR provides selective
Fibre Channel routing connectivity between devices in different VSANs. Ports on one or more
switches can be assigned to different VSANs.
• “H-series switches with TR” (page 37)—Implemented using the TR feature, which is available
with firmware 8.x (or later). The TR feature provides inter-fabric routing, allowing controlled
access between devices on an SN6000 Fibre Channel Switch or an 8/20q Fibre Channel
Switch (local) fabric and devices on a remote fabric consisting of B-series or C-series switches.
B-series Meta SAN
A Meta SAN contains multiple B-series fabrics connected together using the B-series 8 Gb/s switches
with Fibre Channel routing, 1606 Extension SAN Switches, DC Director Switch MP Extension
Blades, or MP Routers. The 8 Gb/s switches with Fibre Channel routing, 1606 Extension SAN
Switches, DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blades, or MP Routers implement the Fibre Channel routing
service, which allows selective access between devices in different fabrics without having to merge
fabrics. This provides a high level of isolation between fabrics. This isolation can be viewed as
individual Fibre Channel subnetworks within the Meta SAN.
LSANs provide access to devices in different fabrics. You create LSAN zones just as you create
standard zones in a single fabric. The difference is that LSAN zone definitions span multiple fabrics
and therefore must be replicated on all fabrics that comprise the LSAN.
For more information about Meta SANs and Fibre Channel routing, see “Fibre Channel routing”
(page 43).
B-series Virtual Fabrics architecture
In B-series configurations, a switched fabric is partitioned into several logical switches and logical
fabrics (Figure 15 (page 47)) by using the Virtual Fabrics feature. To accomplish this, the Virtual
Fabrics feature must be enabled. The Virtual Fabrics feature is set to OFF by default. Enabling
Virtual Fabrics is a disruptive operation, which requires a reboot. Devices can be shared across
multiple logical fabrics using IFR, increasing resource sharing. B-series Virtual Fabrics and Virtual
Fabrics with IFR are included on B-series switch models: DC SAN Backbone Director, DC04 Director,
8/80 SAN Switch and 8/40 SAN Switch only.
B-series fabric partitioning with administrative domains
In B-series configurations, a switched fabric is partitioned into several management domains using
the Administrative Domains feature. An administrative domain is only a filtered administrative view
of the fabric. Each administrative domain has its own set of resources, such as: administrator and
users, Name Server, and zoning database. Resources can be shared across multiple administrative
domains by properly defining their membership. The Administrative Domains feature is available
on all switches using firmware 5.2x (or later).
NOTE: Virtual Fabrics and Administrative Domains are mutually exclusive; they cannot run on
the switch simultaneously. To use Administrative Domains, you must first disable Virtual Fabrics; to
use Virtual Fabrics, you must first delete all Administrative Domains.
Switch models and fabric topologies
HP supports Meta SANs with all B-series switches in either HP standard or customized topologies.
You must follow all B-series and Meta SAN fabric rules. For more information about Meta SANs,
see “B-series switches and fabric rules” (page 91).
Routed fabric topologies 35