StorageTek StorageNet 4000 - Manual (Page 13)

Introduction
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• Securing Fabric areas by providing another level of software security to control port
level access.
The Fibre Channel Fabric Value-Add
Services in the Fabric help IT to manage the Fibre Channel Fabric. The same Fabric
advantages apply regardless of the type of switch. ZONING Fabric characteristics include the
following:
• Administration from any Fabric switch.
• Automatic, transparent distribution throughout the Fabric, a single failure cannot
interrupt ZONING Enforcement to other SAN connections.
• Automatic service scaling with Fabric size, no requirement to upgrade systems as
switches are added and connectivity increases.
• Automatic, transparent deployment, no requirement for human intervention unless
ZONING Specification must change.
Questions and Answers About ZONING
What is ZONING?
ZONING is a Fabric service that provides an IT administrator more control over the SAN,
more management, and security for customizing environments. Fabric connected devices are
arranged into logical groups over the physical Fabric configuration using ZONING. ZONING
automatically and transparently enforces access of information to the zone devices.
Why would I implement zones?
Zones can be configured to:
• Unify heterogeneous environments
• Create functional Fabric areas
• Design closed user groups
• Simplify resource utilization
• Facilitate time sensitive functions
• Secure Fabric areas
Does ZONING minimize the switch performance?
No. ZONING is based on the Simple Name Server (SNS), a Fabric service, for this product
version. ZONING does not impact SNS. Switch performance is hardware-based.
Why is ZONING considered a Fabric service?
Services in the Fabric have the following characteristics: