Brocade Network OS Administrator’s Guide v4.1.1 - Manual (Page 150)

Adding a new switch into a fabric
Complete the following configuration steps to add a new switch into a fabric.
1. Connect to the switch and log in using an account assigned to the admin role.
2. Enter the vcs rbridge-id rbridge-id enable command.
The switch remembers its RBridge ID once it has been assigned. The vcs rbridge-id rbridge-id
enable command also sets the insistent RBridge ID property on the switch.
3. Reboot the system.
After the required reboot the switch participates in the RBridge ID allocation protocol, which insists
that the same value that was manually configured prior to reboot be allocated after reboot.
The switch is not allowed into the fabric if there is a conflict; for example, if another switch with the
same ID exists and is operational in the fabric. You have the opportunity to select a new RBridge ID
by using the same CLI.
Once an ID has been assigned by the fabric protocol, these IDs are then numerically equated to
RBridge IDs and are treated as such after that.
Use the vcs command to configure the Brocade VCS Fabric parameters, VCS ID, and the switch
RBridge ID, and to enable Brocade VCS Fabric mode (also called VCS mode).
VCS mode encompasses two mode types:
• Fabric cluster mode — The data path for nodes is distributed, but the configuration path is not
distributed. Each node keeps its configuration database independently.
• Logical chassis cluster mode — Both the data and configuration paths are distributed. The entire
cluster can be configured from the principal node. Logical chassis cluster mode requires Network
OS 4.0 or later.
The generic term VCS mode in this manual applies to both fabric cluster mode and logical chassis
cluster mode unless otherwise stated.
You can set the Brocade VCS Fabric parameters and enable VCS mode at the same time, or you
can enable VCS mode and then perform the ID assignments separately. Refer to
Configuring a
Brocade VCS Fabric on page 148 for details.
After configuring the Brocade VCS Fabric parameters, the switch applies the changes and reboots.
The switch disable is not saved across a reboot, so if the switch was disabled prior to the reboot,
the switch returns to the enabled state when it finishes the boot cycle.
Configuring fabric interfaces
A physical interface in a virtual switch cluster can either be an edge port or a fabric port, but not both.
Similar to a switch-port configuration on a physical interface, you can also change a fabric-port
configuration on its physical interface by using the fabric ISL enable and fabric trunk enable
commands, described below.
Enabling a fabric ISL
The fabric isl enable command controls whether an ISL should be formed between two cluster
members. With the default setting of ISL discovery to auto and the ISL formation mode to enable , an
ISL automatically forms between two cluster switches.
Performing a fabric isl enable command on an operational ISL has no effect. However, performing a
no fabric isl enable command on an interface toggles its link status and subsequently disables ISL
formation. In addition, the no fabric isl enable command triggers the switch to inform its neighbor that
Adding a new switch into a fabric
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