Brocade help: can't see drives through only one switch

I am having a problem with a Brocade 2400 switch: I can't see the
drives (Sun T3 RAID units) from Linux hosts with Qlogic QLA2342 cards
also connected to the switch. Each device is connected directly to the
switch (no loops), and the switch sees the devices on each port. The
Linux servers just don't see the disks through the switch. Linux isn't
actually involved as I can't see the disks through the Qlogic BIOS
interface either.

However, I can see the drives just fine if I connect everything through
another Brocade 2400 switch. I am using the same GBICs and cables when
I do the tests so it isn't that hardware. What I can't figure out is
how the configuration of the two Brocade switches differ -- I can't
figure out what I need to change on the first Brocade switch to make it
work like the other Brocade switch.

There are obvious differences in the two units, but I can't believe
they would prevent this relatively simple configuration from working.
The problem switch is actually an EMC-branded unit while the one that
works is a Brocade-branded switch. They are also running different
firmware (the working one runs 2.6.0D while the EMC-branded unit is
running 2.3.0). The EMC-branded unit also has all sorts of extra
licenses (Web, Zoning, SES, QuickLoop, Fabric Watch, Fabric, Release
v2.2). These differences seem to force slightly different
configurations -- for example, the EMC-branded unit only wants to be in
switchDomain 97-127 while the Brocade unit is set for switchDomain 1
"(unconfirmed)". The EMC has many more options for zoning, but I've
tried to disable all of that on both switches.

Of course I would like the two switches to run the exact same firmware
and be licensed for the same features, but that probably won't be an
option in this situation. If anyone has any suggestions about what to
look at on the EMC-branded switch to make it work, I would appreciate
it very much.

P.S.E-mail replies should be directed to a Yahoo e-mail address. The
account name is "technyc".

Well, of course, the obvious first question is, are the ports to which your
Linux hosts are connected, in a different zone than the ports to which your
storage is connected?

Also do switchShow and see how your Linux hosts are logging in... as F
ports? NL? etc (it's been a while since I've done this myself, but that's
the first couple of things I'd do).

I am having a problem with a Brocade 2400 switch: I can't see the
drives (Sun T3 RAID units) from Linux hosts with Qlogic QLA2342 cards

Ben wrote:
I am having a problem with a Brocade 2400 switch: I can't see the
drives (Sun T3 RAID units) from Linux hosts with Qlogic QLA2342 cards
also connected to the switch. Each device is connected directly to the
switch (no loops), and the switch sees the devices on each port. The
Linux servers just don't see the disks through the switch. Linux isn't
actually involved as I can't see the disks through the Qlogic BIOS
interface either.

However, I can see the drives just fine if I connect everything through
another Brocade 2400 switch. I am using the same GBICs and cables when
I do the tests so it isn't that hardware. What I can't figure out is
how the configuration of the two Brocade switches differ -- I can't
figure out what I need to change on the first Brocade switch to make it
work like the other Brocade switch.


I know I had some problems with the Sun T3 on a Sun branded qlogic
switch once. It was something to do with that the ports on the switch
the T3 was connected to had to be put in "G" port or something... at
least, when it was in "F" port, the host servers wouldn't see the T3.
This is a while ago, but it could be worth a try to look at the settings
for the ports.

Regards,
Mats Berger

Hi Kurt,
Thanks for the help. I think I've turned off all zoning with:
cfgClear
configure
Disable NodeName Zone Checking: (0..1) [1] 1

However, on the switch that works (but runs firmware 2.6.0D), I also
get this question:
Default Access when zoning is not active (0 = NOACCESS 1 =
ALLACCESS): (0..1) [1]
I don't get that question on the switch that I can't get to work (which
is running firmware 2.3.0). Is there more that I need to do?

Here is the output of switchshow:
switchB:admin switchshow
switchName: switchB
switchType: 3.4
switchState: Online
switchRole: Principal
switchDomain: 97
switchId: fffc61
switchWwn: 10:00:00:60:69:20:3b:c6
switchBeacon: OFF
port 0: sw Online F-Port xx:yy:zz:aa:bb:cc:dd:ee
port 1: sw Online L-Port 1 private, 1 phantom
port 2: sw Online F-Port xx:y1:zz:aa:bb:cc:dd:ee
port 3: -- No_Module
port 4: -- No_Module
port 5: id Online L-Port 1 private, 1 phantom
port 6: -- No_Module
port 7: -- No_Module

where ports 0 and 2 are connected to a dual-channel Qlogic 2342 HBA

Best,
Benjamin

Kurt Duncan wrote:
Well, of course, the obvious first question is, are the ports to
which your
Linux hosts are connected, in a different zone than the ports to
which your
storage is connected?

Also do switchShow and see how your Linux hosts are logging in... as
F
ports? NL? etc (it's been a while since I've done this myself, but
that's
the first couple of things I'd do).

I am having a problem with a Brocade 2400 switch: I can't see the
drives (Sun T3 RAID units) from Linux hosts with Qlogic QLA2342
cards

I have this switch working now. I think the root of the problem was
interopMode. At one point I had interopMode enabled. For some reason,
the switch interacts with the HBAs differently in interopMode. After
executing "interopMode 0" and rebooting the switch, all the hosts
immediately found the connected RAID through that switch. On a switch
running firmware 2.6.0D, "interopMode" didn't seem to make as big a
difference.

Firmware 2.3.0 also seems to let one change interopMode via the
"configure" command and later firmware force the use of the
"interopMode" command. I get the impression that setting interopMode
via configure can leave the switch in an undefined state.

Another thing I found is that ghosts of zones can sometimes return on
reboot unless one does a sequence like "cfgDisable; cfgClear; cfgSave".
"cfgDisable; cfgClear" didn't seem to be enough.

I think what happened is that I probably tried toggling interopMode
earlier in the configuration cycle, but that didn't work because I
probably hadn't cleared the previous switches zones at that point.
Then I left the switch in interopMode because that seemed more likely
to work than the other way. After I really cleared out all the zones,
I didn't think to go back and try toggling interopMode again.

Someone told me that EMC-labeled Brocade switches might require that
zones be defined to work properly (that is, the switch would default to
NOACCESS mode if no zones were defined), but I didn't find that to be
the case.

Actually, what would be nice is if the "configClear" command actually
restored the switch to factory defaults including the zones, SNMP,
FabricWatch, etc. The only thing I wouldn't want cleared by default
are the licenses. Actually, I wouldn't mind if Brocade just got rid of
the whole licensed feature approach but I am not holding my
breath...but I am more likely to recommend Qlogic for 60 device SANs.

Glad to hear the unit is now working.

I would try to d/l the latest generic firmware for the switch, if it were
me. Or at least match it with the other one. Don't know what interopMode
does, internally, but it doesn't surprise me that something with that name,
could cause trouble...

Kurt Duncan wrote:
Glad to hear the unit is now working.

I would try to d/l the latest generic firmware for the switch, if it
were
me. Or at least match it with the other one. Don't know what
interopMode
does, internally, but it doesn't surprise me that something with that
name,
could cause trouble...

I would have if we had access to firmware updates. Unfortunately, the
switch's owner didn't have a support contract, and Brocade doesn't
offer access to firmware updates without a full support contract.
Unfortuantely, Brocade support contracts cost more than new switches
from other vendors. Unfortunately, I don't keep copies of the firmware
either (what is the legality of installing firmware on a switch that
doesn't have a support contract?).

I did find a slightly newer firmware for the Brocade 2400 on the
website of a vendor for which Brocade is an OEM, but it still wouldn't
let me match the versions. Ideally, we would upgrade both switches to
2.6.2c.

I understand that interopMode could cause trouble and I understand why
Brocade makes one choose between useful features and interoperating
with other switches, but I don't understand why enabling interopMode
makes it harder for HBAs and/or disks to connect. If anything, I would
think the opposite, but Brocade seems to interpet interopability
different than I do.

See http://www.brocade.com/support/end_of_life.jsp. There are
several PDF documents there with words similar to:

"We encourage customers to migrate to the latest Fabric OS
versions available from Brocade equipment providers.

This migration is free, and no firmware licenses are required."

It might be possible to get newer firmware without having to pay.


"Ben" wrote in message oups.com...

Kurt Duncan wrote:
Glad to hear the unit is now working.

I would try to d/l the latest generic firmware for the switch, if it
were
me. Or at least match it with the other one. Don't know what
interopMode
does, internally, but it doesn't surprise me that something with that
name,
could cause trouble...

I would have if we had access to firmware updates. Unfortunately, the
switch's owner didn't have a support contract, and Brocade doesn't
offer access to firmware updates without a full support contract.
Unfortuantely, Brocade support contracts cost more than new switches
from other vendors. Unfortunately, I don't keep copies of the firmware
either (what is the legality of installing firmware on a switch that
doesn't have a support contract?).

I did find a slightly newer firmware for the Brocade 2400 on the
website of a vendor for which Brocade is an OEM, but it still wouldn't
let me match the versions. Ideally, we would upgrade both switches to
2.6.2c.

I understand that interopMode could cause trouble and I understand why
Brocade makes one choose between useful features and interoperating
with other switches, but I don't understand why enabling interopMode
makes it harder for HBAs and/or disks to connect. If anything, I would
think the opposite, but Brocade seems to interpet interopability
different than I do.