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

496 Implementing an interoperable fabric
NOTE: Turning off McDATA Enterprise Fabric mode does NOT turn off any of the features that it turned
on.
Enabling Fabric Binding using EFCM will automatically enable Insistent Domain ID on all Fabric OS and
McDATA switches in the fabric. Disabling Fabric Binding does not turn off Insistent Domain ID.
EFCM automates the Fabric Binding configuration process.
FCR SANtegrity (Fabric Binding)
The support for FCR SANtegrity in this release is for Fabric Binding. FCR Fabric Binding is for use with
EX_Ports attached to a McDATA edge switch. It is strongly recommended to use EFCM to configure and
enable or disable Fabric Binding. Downgrading to a Fabric OS version that does not support SANtegrity
interoperability without first disabling Fabric Binding will cause ports to segment upon subsequent
initialization (for example, disable and then enable or add new ISL).
Fabric Binding lets you configure a Fabric Binding Membership list that each switch in a fabric can use to
validate between it and its neighbor. McDATA SANtegrity Fabric Binding uses a list made up of Domain ID
and WWN pairs and implies Insistent Domain IDs. When Fabric Binding is enabled, a Fabric Binding
check is performed each time a link is enabled to ensure that the switches can connect. If the binding
check fails, the McDATA port will go to an invalid attachment state and the FCR EX_Port will disable itself.
NOTE: After a Fabric Binding check failure between a McDATA E_Port and FCR EX_port, the current
McDATA implementation requires you to disable the McDATA port and then re-enable it before the link can
come up again. Enabling just the FCR EX_Port will not allow the link to come up again.
Brocade FCR implements a simplified version of Fabric Binding that is passive and only checks whether its
own Front Port Domain ID and WWN pair is present in the Fabric Binding list that is sent from a McDATA
switch.
Translate domains behind the Front Port Domain must be handled in the following manner:
• Translate domains that are already present before Fabric Binding is enabled must be included in the
Fabric Binding List created using EFCM.
• Translate domains that are created after Fabric Binding is enabled do not have to be added to the
Fabric Binding List and do not cause any Fabric Binding checks to fail. If Fabric Binding is subsequently
disabled, these translate domains must be added to the Fabric Binding List before Fabric Binding can
be re-enabled.
• Translate domains do not have Insistent Domain ID behavior.
Enabling FCR Fabric Binding
Fabric Binding is always enabled or disabled on the entire fabric. EFCM allows enabling Fabric Binding
either separately or as part of the Enterprise Fabric mode feature. Enterprise Fabric mode is used for
FICON environments and turns on several features including Fabric Binding.
NOTE: Turning off McDATA Enterprise Fabric mode does NOT turn off any of the features that it turned
on.
Unlike L2 SANtegrity, FCR requires additional configuration using Brocade CLI before configuring and
enabling Fabric Binding using EFCM.
The McDATA Fabric Binding uses a list made up of Domain ID and WWN pairs. Because the FCR front
port WWN cannot be predetermined, you must connect the FCR to the McDATA edge switch before the
Fabric Binding List can be filled in with the FCR front port Domain ID and WWN entry.