Evaluating the fabric – HP Brocade 4Gb SAN Switch for HP BladeSystem p-Class User Manual

Page 207

Fabric OS 5.0.0 procedures user guide 207

Table 36

shows various combinations of existing fabrics, new switches added to those fabrics, and the

recommended PID format for that combination. The criteria for the recommendations are first to eliminate

host reboots, and second to minimize the need for a host reboot in the future.

Evaluating the fabric

If there is the possibility that your fabric contains host devices with static PID bindings, you should evaluate

the fabric to:

•

Find any devices that bind to PIDs

•

Determine how each device driver responds to the PID format change

•

Determine how any multipathing software responds to a fabric service interruption

If current details about the SAN are already available, it may be possible to skip the Data Collection step.

If not, it is necessary to collect information about each device in the SAN. Any type of device may be able

to bind by PID; each device should be evaluated before attempting an online update. This information has

broad applicability, because PID-bound devices are not able to seamlessly perform in many routine

maintenance or failure scenarios.

Table 36

PID format recommendations for adding new switches

Existing Fabric OS versions;

PID format

Switch to be

added

Recommendations (in order of preference)

v2.0.0 and later/v3.1.2 and

later; Native PID

v2.0.0 and

later/v3.1.2

and later

Use Native PID format for new switch
Host reboot is not required.

Convert existing fabric to Core PID format, upgrading the

version of Fabric OS, if necessary. Set Core PID format for

new switch.
Host reboot is required.

If devices are bound statically and it is not possible to reboot,

convert existing fabric to Extended Edge PID format,

upgrading the version of Fabric OS, if necessary. Use

Extended Edge PID format for new switch
Host reboot is not required.

v4.2.0 and

later