Using the fc-fc routing service, In this chapter, Fibre channel routing overview – Dell POWEREDGE M1000E User Manual

Page 177: Chapter 11, Chapter 11, “using the fc-fc routing service

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Web Tools Administrator’s Guide

149

53-1001772-01

DRAFT: BROCADE CONFIDENTIAL

Chapter

11

Using the FC-FC Routing Service

In this chapter

Fibre Channel Routing overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Supported switches for Fibre Channel Routing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Setting up FC-FC routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

FC-FC routing management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Viewing EX_Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Configuring an EX_Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Configuring FCR router port cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Viewing LSAN zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Configuring the backbone fabric ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Fibre Channel Routing overview

Fibre Channel Routing provides connectivity to devices in different fabrics without merging the
fabrics.

For example, Fibre Channel Routing allows you to share tape drives across multiple fabrics without
the administrative problems, such as change management, network management, scalability,
reliability, availability, and serviceability that might result from merging the fabrics.

Fibre Channel Routing lets you create logical storage area networks (LSANs) that can span fabrics.
These LSANs allow Fibre Channel zones to cross physical SAN boundaries without merging the
fabrics while maintaining the access controls of zones.

Note the following terminology for Fibre Channel Routing:

backbone fabric

An FC Router can connect two edge fabrics; a backbone fabric connects FC
Routers. The FC Router fabric is the backbone fabric. A backbone fabric
consists of at least one FC Router and possibly a number of Fabric OS-based
Fibre Channel switches. Initiators and targets in the edge fabric can
communicate with devices in the backbone fabric through the FC Router.

edge fabric

A standard Fibre Channel fabric with targets and initiators connected through
an FC Router to another Fibre Channel fabric.

EX_Port

A type of port that functions somewhat like an E_Port, but does not
propagate fabric services or routing topology information from one fabric to
another.

FC Router

A switch running FC-FC Routing Service.

interfabric link (IFL)

The link between an E_Port and an EX_Port, or a VE_Port and a VEX_Port.

metaSAN

The collection of all SANs interconnected with FC Routers.

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