MDS Interoperability Mode Limitations
When a VSAN is configured for the default interoperability mode, the MDS 9000 Family of switches is limited in the following areas when interoperating with non-MDS switches:
• Interop mode only affects the specified VSAN. The MDS 9000 switch can still operate with full functionality in other non-interop mode VSANs. All switches that partake in the interoperable VSAN should have that VSAN set to interop mode, even if they do not have any end devices.
• Domain IDs are restricted to the 97 to 127 range, to accommodate McData's nominal restriction to this same range. Domain IDs can either be set up statically (the MDS 9000 switch will only accept one domain ID; if it does not get that domain ID, it isolates itself from the fabric), or preferred (if the MDS 9000 switch does not get the requested domain ID, it takes any other domain ID).
• TE ports and PortChannels cannot be used to connect an MDS 9000 switch to a non-MDS switch. Only E ports can be used to connect an MDS 9000 switch to a non-MDS switch. However, TE ports and PortChannels can still be used to connect an MDS 9000 switch to other MDS 9000 switches, even when in interop mode.
• Only the active zone set is distributed to other switches.
• In MDS SAN-OS Release 1.3(x), Fibre Channel timers can be set on a per VSAN basis. Modifying the times, however, requires the VSAN to be suspended. Prior to SAN-OS Release 1.3, modifying timers required all VSANs across the switch to be put into the suspended state.
• The MDS 9000 switch still supports the following zoning limits per switch across all VSANs:
– 2000 zones (as of SAN-OS 3.0, 8000 zones)
– 20000 aliases
– 1000 zone sets
– 20000 members
– 8000 LUN members
– 256 LUN members per zone/alias
Brocade Interoperability Mode Limitations
When interoperability mode is set, the Brocade switch has the following limitations:
• All Brocade switches should be in Fabric OS 2.4 or later.
• Interop mode affects the entire switch. All switches in the fabric must have interop mode enabled.
• Msplmgmtdeactivate must be run prior to connecting the Brocade switch to either an MDS 9000 switch or a McData switch. This command uses Brocade proprietary frames to exchange platform information. The MDS 9000 switch and McData switches do not understand these proprietary frames, and rejection of these frames causes the common E ports to become isolated.
• Enabling interoperability mode is a disruptive process to the entire switch. It requires the switch to be rebooted.
• If there are no zones defined in the effective configuration, the default behavior of the fabric is to allow no traffic to flow. If a device is not in a zone, it is isolated from other devices.
• Zoning can only be done with pWWNs. You cannot zone by port numbers or nWWNs.
• To manage the fabric from a Brocade switch, all Brocade switches must be interconnected. This interconnection facilitates the forwarding of the inactive zone configuration.
• Domain IDs are restricted to the 97 to 127 range to accommodate McData's nominal restriction to this same range.
• Brocade WebTools will show a McData switch or an MDS 9000 switch as an anonymous switch. Only a zoning configuration of the McData switch or the MDS 9000 switch is possible.
• Private loop targets will automatically be registered in the fabric using translative mode.
• Fabric watch is restricted to Brocade switches only.
• The full zone set (configuration) is distributed to all switches in the fabric. However, the full zone set is distributed in a proprietary format, which only Brocade switches accept. Other vendors reject these frames, and accept only the active zone set (configuration).
• The following services are not supported:
– The Alias Server
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