mainframe connections to storage devices. This guide discusses support offered by Fabric OS in
intermix mode operations, in which FICON and Fibre Channel technology work together.

For specific information about intermix mode and other aspects of FICON, refer to the IBM Redbook,
FICON

Implementation Guide (SG24-6497-01), and Implementing an IBM/Brocade SAN with 8 Gbps

Directors and Switches (SG24-6116-08).

NOTE
In this guide, the term switch is used to refer to a Brocade switch, Backbone, or backbone platform
unless otherwise noted.

Fabric OS support for FICON

The following Fabric OS standard features support FICON fabrics:

•

Blade swapping

Allows you to swap a blade of the same type so that you can replace a field-replaceable unit (FRU)
with minimal traffic disruption. This feature is available for both FICON and open system
environments. Blade swapping resolves situations in which the hardware has failed and the
channel configurations cannot be changed quickly. In addition, a blade swap minimizes and
eliminates the need to make changes to the I/O sysgen in the hardware configuration definition
(HCD). Blade swapping has minimal or no impact on other switch features.

•

Routing policies

System z FICON did not support exchange-based routing as of the publication date of this
document, but does support port-based and device- based routing. For details on these policies,
refer to the "Routing Traffic" chapter in the Fabric OS Administrator's Guide.

•

FICON MIB module

Addresses link incident data for FICON hosts and devices connected to a switch. The FICON MIB
module supplements other Management Information Bases (MIBs) used to manage switches and
should be used in conjunction with those other MIBs.

•

Insistent Domain ID (IDID)

FICON Administrator's Guide

53-1003144-01