- Preface
- New and Changed Information
- Overview
- Configuring Fibre Channel Interfaces
- Configuring Fibre Channel Domain Parameters
- Configuring N Port Virtualization
- Configuring VSAN Trunking
- Configuring SAN Port Channels
- Configuring and Managing VSANs
- Configuring and Managing Zones
- Distributing Device Alias Services
- Configuring Fibre Channel Routing Services and Protocols
- Managing FLOGI, Name Server, FDMI, and RSCN Databases
- Discovering SCSI Targets
- Advanced Fibre Channel Features
- Configuring FC-SP and DHCHAP
- Configuring Port Security
- Configuring Fabric Binding
- Configuring Fabric Configuration Servers
- Configuring Port Tracking
- Index
Contents
- Managing FLOGI, Name Server, FDMI, and RSCN Databases
- Managing FLOGI, Name Server, FDMI, and RSCN Databases
- Fabric Login
- Name Server Proxy
- About Registering Name Server Proxies
- Registering Name Server Proxies
- Rejecting Duplicate pWWNs
- Rejecting Duplicate pWWNs
- Name Server Database Entries
- Displaying Name Server Database Entries
- FDMI
- Displaying FDMI
- RSCN
- About RSCN Information
- Configuring the Port-Address Format
- Displaying RSCN Information
- Multi-pid Option
- Configuring the multi-pid Option
- Suppressing Domain Format SW-RSCNs
- Clearing RSCN Statistics
- Configuring the RSCN Timer
- Verifying the RSCN Timer Configuration
- RSCN Timer Configuration Distribution
- Enabling RSCN Timer Configuration Distribution
- Locking the Fabric
- Committing RSCN Timer Configuration Changes
- Discarding the RSCN Timer Configuration Changes
- Clearing a Locked Session
- Displaying RSCN Configuration Distribution Information
- Default Settings for RSCN
Managing FLOGI, Name Server, FDMI, and RSCN Databases
This chapter describes how to configure and manage FLOGI, name server FDMI, and RSCN databases.
This chapter includes the following sections:
Managing FLOGI, Name Server, FDMI, and RSCN Databases
Fabric Login
In a Fibre Channel fabric, each host or disk requires an FC ID. Use the show flogi command to verify if a storage device is displayed in the fabric login (FLOGI) table as in the following examples. If the required device is displayed in the FLOGI table, the fabric login is successful. Examine the FLOGI database on a switch that is directly connected to the host HBA and connected ports.
This example shows how to verify the storage devices in the fabric login (FLOGI) table:
switch# show flogi database --------------------------------------------------------------------------- INTERFACE VSAN FCID PORT NAME NODE NAME --------------------------------------------------------------------------- fc2/3 1 0xb200e2 21:00:00:04:cf:27:25:2c 20:00:00:04:cf:27:25:2c fc2/3 1 0xb200e1 21:00:00:04:cf:4c:18:61 20:00:00:04:cf:4c:18:61 fc2/3 1 0xb200d1 21:00:00:04:cf:4c:18:64 20:00:00:04:cf:4c:18:64 fc2/3 1 0xb200ce 21:00:00:04:cf:4c:16:fb 20:00:00:04:cf:4c:16:fb fc2/3 1 0xb200cd 21:00:00:04:cf:4c:18:f7 20:00:00:04:cf:4c:18:f7 vfc3/1 2 0xb30100 10:00:00:05:30:00:49:63 20:00:00:05:30:00:49:5e Total number of flogi = 6.
This example shows how to verify the storage devices attached to a specific interface:
switch# show flogi database interface vfc1/1
INTERFACE VSAN FCID PORT NAME NODE NAME
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
vfc1/1 1 0x870000 20:00:00:1b:21:06:58:bc 10:00:00:1b:21:06:58:bc
Total number of flogi = 1.
This example shows how to verify the storage devices associated with VSAN 1:
switch# show flogi database vsan 1
Name Server Proxy
The name server functionality maintains a database that contains the attributes for all hosts and storage devices in each VSAN. Name servers allow a database entry to be modified by a device that originally registered the information.
The proxy feature is useful when you need to modify (update or delete) the contents of a database entry that was previously registered by a different device.
All name server registration requests come from the same port whose parameter is registered or changed. If it does not, then the request is rejected.
This authorization enables WWNs to register specific parameters for another node.
- About Registering Name Server Proxies
- Registering Name Server Proxies
- Rejecting Duplicate pWWNs
- Rejecting Duplicate pWWNs
- Name Server Database Entries
- Displaying Name Server Database Entries
About Registering Name Server Proxies
All name server registration requests come from the same port whose parameter is registered or changed. If it does not, then the request is rejected.
This authorization enables WWNs to register specific parameters for another node.
Registering Name Server Proxies
You can register the name server proxy.
1.
configure terminal
2.
fcns proxy-port
wwn-id
vsan
vsan-id
DETAILED STEPS
| Command or Action | Purpose |
|---|
Rejecting Duplicate pWWNs
You can prevent malicious or accidental log in using another device’s pWWN by enabling the reject-duplicate-pwwn option. If you disable this option, these pWWNs are allowed to log in to the fabric and replace the first device in the name server database.
Rejecting Duplicate pWWNs
You can reject duplicate pWWNs.
1.
configure terminal
2.
fcns reject-duplicate-pwwn vsan
vsan-id
3.
no fcns reject-duplicate-pwwn vsan
vsan-id
DETAILED STEPS
Name Server Database Entries
The name server stores name entries for all hosts in the FCNS database. The name server permits an Nx port to register attributes during a PLOGI (to the name server) to obtain attributes of other hosts. These attributes are deregistered when the Nx port logs out either explicitly or implicitly.
In a multiswitch fabric configuration, the name server instances running on each switch shares information in a distributed database. One instance of the name server process runs on each switch.
Displaying Name Server Database Entries
This example shows how to display the name server database for all VSANs:
switch# show fcns database
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
FCID TYPE PWWN (VENDOR) FC4-TYPE:FEATURE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
0x010000 N 50:06:0b:00:00:10:a7:80 scsi-fcp fc-gs
0x010001 N 10:00:00:05:30:00:24:63 (Cisco) ipfc
0x010002 N 50:06:04:82:c3:a0:98:52 (Company 1) scsi-fcp 250
0x010100 N 21:00:00:e0:8b:02:99:36 (Company A) scsi-fcp
0x020000 N 21:00:00:e0:8b:08:4b:20 (Company A)
0x020100 N 10:00:00:05:30:00:24:23 (Cisco) ipfc
0x020200 N 21:01:00:e0:8b:22:99:36 (Company A) scsi-fcp
This example shows how to display the name server database and statistical information for a specified VSAN:
switch# show fcns database vsan 1
VSAN 1:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
FCID TYPE PWWN (VENDOR) FC4-TYPE:FEATURE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
0x030001 N 10:00:00:05:30:00:25:a3 (Cisco) ipfc
0x030101 NL 10:00:00:00:77:99:60:2c (Interphase)
0x030200 N 10:00:00:49:c9:28:c7:01
0xec0001 NL 21:00:00:20:37:a6:be:14 (Seagate) scsi-fcp
Total number of entries = 4
This example shows how to display the name server database details for all VSANs:
switch# show fcns database detail
This example shows how to display the name server database statistics for all VSANs:
switch# show fcns statistics
FDMI
Cisco SAN switches provide support for the Fabric-Device Management Interface (FDMI) functionality, as described in the FC-GS-4 standard. FDMI enables management of devices such as Fibre Channel host bus adapters (HBAs) through in-band communications. This addition complements the existing Fibre Channel name server and management server functions.
Using the FDMI functionality, the switch software can extract the following management information about attached HBAs and host operating systems without installing proprietary host agents:
-
Manufacturer, model, and serial number
-
Node name and node symbolic name
-
Hardware, driver, and firmware versions
-
Host operating system (OS) name and version number
All FDMI entries are stored in persistent storage and are retrieved when the FDMI process is started.
Displaying FDMI
This example shows how to display all HBA details for a specified VSAN:
switch# show fdmi database detail vsan 1
RSCN
The Registered State Change Notification (RSCN) is a Fibre Channel service that informs hosts about changes in the fabric. Hosts can receive this information by registering with the fabric controller (through a State Change Registration (SCR) request). These notifications provide a timely indication of one or more of the following events:
-
Disks joining or leaving the fabric
-
A name server registration change
-
A new zone enforcement
-
IP address change
-
Any other similar event that affects the operation of the host
A switch RSCN (SW-RSCN) is sent to registered hosts and to all reachable switches in the fabric.
 Note | The switch sends an RSCN to notify registered nodes that a change has occurred. It is up to the nodes to query the name server again to obtain the new information. The details of the changed information are not delivered by the switch in the RSCN sent to the nodes. |
- About RSCN Information
- Configuring the Port-Address Format
- Displaying RSCN Information
- Multi-pid Option
- Configuring the multi-pid Option
- Suppressing Domain Format SW-RSCNs
- Clearing RSCN Statistics
- Configuring the RSCN Timer
- Verifying the RSCN Timer Configuration
- RSCN Timer Configuration Distribution
About RSCN Information
A switch RSCN (SW-RSCN) is sent to registered hosts and to all reachable switches in the fabric.
Note | The switch sends an RSCN to notify registered nodes that a change has occurred. It is up to the nodes to query the name server again to obtain the new information. The details of the changed information are not delivered by the switch in the RSCN sent to the nodes. |
Configuring the Port-Address Format
The zone server on Cisco SAN switches allows you to switch between the fabric-address format and port-address format. You can configure this feature on a per VSAN basis. This configuration remains unchanged even after an In-Service Software Upgrade (ISSU) or a switchover. By default, the Registered State Change Notification (RSCN) format is fabric address
You can configure the port-address format.
1.
configure terminal
2.
zone rscn address-format port vsan
vsan-id
3.
no zone rscn address-format port vsan
vsan-id
4.
show zone status vsan
vsan-id
DETAILED STEPS
Displaying RSCN Information
The following example shows how to display registered device information:
switch# show rscn scr-table vsan 1
Note | The SCR table is not configurable. It is populated when hosts send SCR frames with RSCN information. If hosts do not receive RSCN information, then the show rscn scr-table command will not return entries. |
Multi-pid Option
If the RSCN multi-pid option is enabled, RSCNs generated to the registered Nx ports might contain more than one affected port IDs. In this case, zoning rules are applied before putting the multiple affected port IDs together in a single RSCN. By enabling this option, you can reduce the number of RSCNs. For example, you have two disks (D1, D2) and a host (H) connected to switch 1. Host H is registered to receive RSCNs. D1, D2, and H belong to the same zone. If disks D1 and D2 are online at the same time, one of the following actions applies:
-
The multi-pid option is disabled on switch 1— Two RSCNs are generated to host H: one for the disk D1 and another for disk D2.
-
The multi-pid option is enabled on switch 1—A single RSCN is generated to host H, and the RSCN payload lists the affected port IDs (in this case, both D1 and D2).
Note | Some Nx ports may not support multi-pid RSCN payloads. If so, disable the RSCN multi-pid option. |
Configuring the multi-pid Option
You can configure the multi-pid option.
1.
configure terminal
2.
rscn multi-pid vsan
vsan-id
DETAILED STEPS
| Command or Action | Purpose |
|---|
Suppressing Domain Format SW-RSCNs
A domain format SW-RSCN is sent whenever the local switch name or the local switch management IP address changes. This SW-RSCN is sent to all other domains and switches over the ISLs. The remote switches can issue GMAL and GIELN commands to the switch that initiated the domain format SW-RSCN to determine what changed. Domain format SW-RSCNs can cause problems with some non-Cisco SAN switches.
You can suppress the transmission of these SW-RSCNs over an ISL.
1.
configure terminal
2.
rscn suppress domain-swrscn vsan
vsan-id
DETAILED STEPS
| Command or Action | Purpose |
|---|
Clearing RSCN Statistics
You can clear the counters and later view the counters for a different set of events. For example, you can keep track of how many RSCNs or SW-RSCNs are generated on a particular event (such as ONLINE or OFFLINE events). You can use these statistics to monitor responses for each event in the VSAN.
This example shows how to clear the RSCN statistics for the specified VSAN:
switch# clear rscn statistics vsan 1
After clearing the RSCN statistics, you can view the cleared counters by entering the show rscn statistics command:
switch# show rscn statistics vsan 1
Configuring the RSCN Timer
RSCN maintains a per VSAN event list queue, where the RSCN events are queued as they are generated. When the first RSCN event is queued, a per VSAN timer starts. When a timeout occurs, all the events are dequeued and coalesced RSCNs are sent to registered users. The default timer values minimize the number of coalesced RSCNs that are sent to registered users. Some deployments require smaller event timer values to track changes in the fabric.
Note | The RSCN timer value must be the same on all switches in the VSAN. |
Note | Before performing a downgrade, make sure that you revert the RSCN timer value in your network to the default value. Failure to do so will disable the links across your VSANs and other devices. |
You can configure the RSCN timer.
1.
configure terminal
2.
rscn distribute
3.
rscn event-tov
timeout
vsan
vsan-id
4.
no rscn event-tov
timeout
vsan
vsan-id
5.
rscn commit vsan
vsan-id
DETAILED STEPS
Verifying the RSCN Timer Configuration
You verify the RSCN timer configuration using the show rscn event-tov vsan command. This example shows how to clear the RSCN statistics for VSAN 10:
switch# show rscn event-tov vsan 10
Event TOV : 1000 ms
RSCN Timer Configuration Distribution
Because the timeout value for each switch is configured manually, a misconfiguration occurs when different switches time out at different times. Different N-ports in a network can receive RSCNs at different times. Cisco Fabric Services (CFS) infrastructure alleviates this situation by automatically distributing the RSCN timer configuration information to all switches in a fabric, which also reduces the number of SW-RSCNs.
RSCN supports two modes, distributed and nondistributed. In distributed mode, RSCN uses Cisco Fabric Services (CFS) to distribute configuration to all switches in the fabric. In nondistributed mode, only the configuration commands on the local switch are affected.
Note | All configuration commands are not distributed. Only the rscn event-tov tov vsan vsan command is distributed. |
 Caution | Only the RSCN timer configuration is distributed. |
The RSCN timer is registered with CFS during initialization and switchover. For high availability, if the RSCN timer distribution crashes and restarts or a switchover occurs, it resumes normal functionality from the state prior to the crash or switchover.
For additional information, refer to Using Cisco Fabric Services in the System Management Configuration Guide for your device.
- Enabling RSCN Timer Configuration Distribution
- Locking the Fabric
- Committing RSCN Timer Configuration Changes
- Discarding the RSCN Timer Configuration Changes
- Clearing a Locked Session
- Displaying RSCN Configuration Distribution Information
Enabling RSCN Timer Configuration Distribution
You can enable RSCN timer configuration distribution.
1.
configure terminal
2.
rscn distribute
3.
no rscn distribute
DETAILED STEPS
Locking the Fabric
The first action that modifies the database creates the pending database and locks the feature in the VSAN. Once you lock the fabric, the following situations apply:
Committing RSCN Timer Configuration Changes
If you commit the changes made to the active database, the configuration is committed to all the switches in the fabric. On a successful commit, the configuration change is applied throughout the fabric and the lock is released.
You can commit RSCN timer configuration changes.
1.
configure terminal
2.
rscn commit vsan
timeout
DETAILED STEPS
| Command or Action | Purpose |
|---|
Discarding the RSCN Timer Configuration Changes
If you discard (abort) the changes made to the pending database, the configuration database remains unaffected and the lock is released.
You can discard RSCN timer configuration changes.
1.
configure terminal
2.
rscn abort vsan
timeout
DETAILED STEPS
| Command or Action | Purpose |
|---|
Clearing a Locked Session
If you have changed the RSCN timer configuration and have forgotten to release the lock by either committing or discarding the changes, an administrator can release the lock from any switch in the fabric. If the administrator performs this task, your changes to the pending database are discarded and the fabric lock is released.
The pending database is only available in the volatile directory and are subject to being discarded if the switch is restarted.
To use administrative privileges and release a locked DPVM session, use the clear rscn session vsan command in EXEC mode. This example shows how to clear the RSCN session for VSAN 10:
switch# clear rscn session vsan 10
Displaying RSCN Configuration Distribution Information
This example shows how to display the registration status for RSCN configuration distribution:
switch# show cfs application name rscn
Enabled : Yes
Timeout : 5s
Merge Capable : Yes
Scope : Logical
Note | A merge failure results when the RSCN timer values are different on the merging fabrics. |
This example shows how to display the set of configuration commands that would take effect when you commit the configuration:
Note | The pending database includes both existing and modified configuration. |
switch# show rscn pending
rscn event-tov 2000 ms vsan 1
rscn event-tov 2000 ms vsan 2
rscn event-tov 300 ms vsan 10
This example shows how to display the difference between pending and active configurations:
switch# show rscn pending-diff vsan 10
- rscn event-tov 2000 ms vsan 10
+ rscn event-tov 300 ms vsan 10
Default Settings for RSCN
The following table lists the default settings for RSCN.
|
Parameters |
Default |
|---|---|
|
RSCN timer value |
2000 milliseconds for Fibre Channel VSANs |
|
RSCN timer configuration distribution |
Disabled |