Sim-ports, Sim-port requirements and restrictions – Brocade Network Advisor SAN User Manual v12.3.0 User Manual
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Brocade Network Advisor SAN User Manual
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Flow Generator
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SIM-Ports
Before you create and activate a Flow Generator flow, you must set the source device and
destination device ports in simulation mode (SIM-Port mode). Setting the port to SIM-Port mode
sets an internal loopback on the port and creates a filter that discards all incoming Flow Generator
frames. This ensures that test flows are not unintentionally transmitted to real devices.
A SIM-Port simulates an F_Port on the switch using the port WWN or virtual WWN. Once you enable
SIM-Port mode, the SIM-Port registers itself into the Name Server database. For learning mode,
SIM-Ports must be part of a zoning database.
Flow Generator SIM-Ports have the following restrictions:
•
Flow Generator supports up to four active flows per ingress SIM-Port and takes 52 credits per
SIM-Port from the ASIC.
•
Zoning is bypassed on SIM-Ports. Traffic will reach its destination regardless of zoning
configuration.
•
Flow Generator only uses zones that gather the Source ID-Destination ID pairs for learning
flows.
On a switch that has live traffic passing through E_Ports or long distance ports, Flow Generator
allows you to enable (
on page 1180") and disable (
on page 1181") SIM-Ports that are on the same ASIC as those active ports. Flow Generator
generates traffic matching the flow definition on the SIM-Port. Traffic is generated between the
local or remote ports at the speed configured on the source SIM-Port. Flow Generator can also
activate and deactivate the artificial traffic, allowing you to verify the impact of the testing flow on
existing traffic.
SIM-Port requirements and restrictions
Flow Generator SIM-Ports must meet the following criteria to be valid:
•
SIM-Ports are supported on ASICs that support either 8 Gbps- or 16 Gbps-capable FC ports.
Source devices or ingress ports can only be on 16 Gbps-capable FC ports. Destination devices
or egress ports can be on either 8 or 16 Gbps-capable FC ports.
•
SIM-Ports cannot be in the base switch or Access Gateway.
•
SIM-Ports cannot be configured on a port that is online and connected to a real device.
NOTE
If a port is connected to a real device, you can disable the port, configure the SIM-Port, and
then re-enable the port. The port will be a SIM-Port; the real device will not join the fabric.
•
Existing SIM-Ports are added to Device Connection Control (DCC) policies when created with a
wildcard (*) but not adhered to. These SIM-Port entries must be deleted if a new WWN is
connected.