Table Of Contents
Configuring and Managing Zones
Zoning Features
Zoning Example
Configuring a Zone
Configuring Aliases
Zone Enforcement
Zone Sets
Active and Full Zone Set Considerations
A Default Zone
Recovering from Link Isolation
Distributing Zone Sets
Copying Zone Sets
Clearing Zone Sets
Viewing Zone Information
Default Settings
Zone Implementation
Configuring and Managing Zones
Zoning enables you to set up access control between storage devices or user groups. If you have administrator privileges in your fabric, you can create zones to increase network security and to prevent data loss or corruption. Zoning is enforced by examining the source-destination ID field. This chapter defines various zoning concepts and provides details on zone set and management features in the switch and includes the following sections:
•
Zoning Features
•
Zoning Example
•
Configuring a Zone
•
Configuring Aliases
•
Zone Enforcement
•
Zone Sets
•
A Default Zone
•
Recovering from Link Isolation
•
Distributing Zone Sets
•
Copying Zone Sets
•
Clearing Zone Sets
•
Viewing Zone Information
•
Default Settings
•
Zone Implementation
Table 8-1 lists the differences between zones and VSANs.
Note
For a comprehensive summary of zone implementation, refer to the "Zone Implementation" section.
Zoning Features
Zoning has the following features:
•
A zone consists of multiple zone members.
–
Members in a zone can access each other; members in different zones cannot access each other.
–
If zoning is not activated, all devices are members of the default zone.
–
If zoning is activated, any device that is not in an active zone (a zone that is part of an active zone set) is a member of the default zone.
–
Zones can vary in size.
–
Devices can belong to more than one zone.
•
A zone set consists of one or more zones.
–
A zone set can be activated or deactivated as a single entity across all switches in the fabric.
–
Only one zone set can be activated at any time.
–
A zone can be a member of more than one zone set.
•
Zoning can be administered from any switch in the fabric.
–
When you activate a zone (from any switch), all switches in the fabric receive the active zone set. Additionally, full zone sets are distributed to all switches in the fabric, if the option (zoneset distribute full vsan command) is enabled in the source switch.
–
If a new switch is added to an existing fabric, zone sets are acquired by the new switch.
•
Zone changes can be configured nondisruptively.
–
New zones and zone sets can be configured without interrupting traffic on unaffected ports or devices.
•
Zone membership criteria is based on WWNs or FC IDs.
–
Port world wide name (pWWN)—Specifies the pWWN of an N port attached to the switch as a member of the zone.
–
Fabric pWWN—Specifies the WWN of the fabric port (switch port's WWN). This membership is also referred to as port-based zoning.
–
FC ID—Specifies the FC ID of an N port attached to the switch as a member of the zone.
•
Default zone membership includes all ports or WWNs that do not have a specific membership association. Access between default zone members is controlled by the default zone policy.
Zoning Example
Figure 12-1 illustrates a zone set with two zones, zone 1 and zone 2, in a fabric. Zone 1 provides access from all three hosts (H1, H2, H3) to the data residing on storage systems S1 and S2. Zone 2 restricts the data on S3 to access only by H3. Note that H3 resides in both zones.
Figure 12-1 Fabric with Two Zones
Of course, there are other ways to partition this fabric into zones. Figure 12-2 illustrates another possibility. Assume that there is a need to isolate storage system S2 for the purpose of testing new software. To achieve this, zone 3 is configured, which contains only host H2 and storage S2. You can restrict access to just H2 and S2 in zone 3, and to H1 and S1 in zone 1.
Figure 12-2 Fabric with Three Zones
Configuring a Zone
A zone can be configured using one of the following types to assign members:
•
pWWN—The WWN of the N or NL port in hex format (for example, 10:00:00:23:45:67:89:ab).
•
Fabric port WWN—The WWN of the fabric port name in hex format (for example, 10:00:00:23:45:67:89:ab).
•
FC ID—The N port ID in 0xhhhhhh format (for example, 0xce00d1).
•
FC alias—The alias name is in alphabetic characters (for example, Payroll) and denotes a port ID or WWN. The alias can also include multiple members.
To configure a zone and assign a zone name, follow these steps:
|
Command
|
Purpose
|
Step 1
|
|
Enters configuration mode.
|
Step 2
|
switch(config)# zone name Zone1 vsan 3
|
Configures a zone called Zone 1 for the VSAN called vsan3.
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Step 3
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switch(config-zone)# member <type> <value>
sswitch(config-zone)# member pwwn 10:00:00:23:45:67:89:ab
switch(config-zone)# member fwwn 10:01:10:01:10:ab:cd:ef
switch(config-zone)# member fcid 0xce00d1
switch(config-zone)# member fcalias Payroll
|
Configures a member for the specified zone (Zone1) based on the type (pWWN, fabric pWWN, FC ID, or FC alias) and value specified.
|
Tip ![](../../../../../../../../../../i/templates/blank.gif) Use a relevant display command (for example, show interface or show flogi database) to obtain the required value in hex format.
|
Configuring Aliases
You can assign an alias name and configure an alias member using either the FC ID, fabric port WWN (fWWN), or pWWN values.
To create an alias using the fcalias command, follow these steps:
|
Command
|
Purpose
|
Step 1
|
|
Enters configuration mode.
|
Step 2
|
switch(config)# fcalias name AliasSample vsan 3
|
Configures an alias name (AliasSample).
|
Step 3
|
switch-config-fcalias# member fcid 0x222222
|
Configures alias members based on the specified FC ID type and value (0x222222).
|
switch-config-fcalias# member pwwn
10:00:00:23:45:67:89:ab
|
Configures alias members based on the specified port WWN type and value (pWWN 10:00:00:23:45:67:89:ab).
|
switch-config-fcalias# member fwwn
10:01:10:01:10:ab:cd:ef
|
Configures alias members based on the specified fWWN type and value (fWWN 10:01:10:01:10:ab:cd:ef).
|
Note
Multiple members can be specified on multiple lines.
Zone Enforcement
Zoning can be enforced in two ways: soft and hard. Each end device (N port or NL port) discovers other devices in the fabric by querying the name server. When a device logs in to the name server, the name server returns the list of other devices that can be accessed by the querying device. If an Nx port does not know about the FC IDs of other devices outside its zone, it cannot access those devices.
In soft zoning, zoning restrictions are applied only during interaction between the name server and the end device. If an end device somehow knows the FC ID of a device outside its zone, it can access that device.
Hard zoning is enforced by the hardware on each frame sent by an Nx port. As frames enter the switch, source-destination IDs are compared with permitted combinations to allow the frame at wirespeed.
Note
Hard zoning enforces zoning restrictions on every frame, and it prevents unauthorized access at all times.
Switches in the Cisco MDS 9000 Family support both hard and soft zoning.
Zone Sets
In Figure 12-3, two separate sets are created, each with its own membership hierarchy and zone members.
Figure 12-3 Hierarchy of Zone Sets, Zones, and Zone Members
Zones provide a mechanism for specifying access control, while zone sets are a grouping of zones to enforce access control in the fabric. Either zone set A or zone set B can be activated (but not both at once).
To create a zone set to include several zones, follow these steps:
|
Command
|
Purpose
|
Step 1
|
|
Enters configuration mode.
|
Step 2
|
switch(config)# zoneset name Zoneset1 vsan 3
|
Configures a zone set called Zoneset1.
Note To activate a zone set, you must first create the zone and a zone set.
|
Step 3
|
switch-config-zoneset# member Zone1
|
Adds Zone1 as a member of the specified zone set (Zoneset1).
Note If the specified zone name was not previously configured, this command will return the Zone not present error message.
|
Step 4
|
switch-config-zoneset# zone name InlineZone1
switch-config-zoneset-zone#
|
Adds a zone (InlineZone1) to the specified zone set (Zoneset1).
Tip ![](../../../../../../../../../../i/templates/blank.gif) Execute this step only if you need to create a zone from a zone set prompt.
|
Step 5
|
switch-config-zoneset-zone# member fcid 0x111112
switch-config-zoneset-zone#
|
Adds a new member (FC ID 0x111112) to the newly created zone (InlineZone1).
Tip ![](../../../../../../../../../../i/templates/blank.gif) Execute this step only if you need to add a member to a zone from a zone set prompt.
Note Multiple members can be specified on multiple lines.
|
Zone sets are configured with the names of the member zones. If the zone set is in a configured VSAN, the VSAN is also specified.
Active and Full Zone Set Considerations
Before configuring a zone set, consider the following guidelines:
•
Each VSAN can have multiple zone sets but only one zone set can be active at any given time.
•
When you create a zone set, that zone set becomes a part of the full zone set.
•
When you activate a zone set, a copy of the zone set from the full zone set is used to enforce zoning, and is called the active zone set.An active zone set cannot be modified. A zone that is part of an active zone set is called an active zone. You can activate a zone set using the zoneset activate name command.
•
The administrator can modify the full zone set even if a zone set with the same name is active. The changes do not take effect until the zone set is activated with the zoneset activate name command.
•
When the activation is done, the active zone set is automatically stored in persistent configuration. This enables the switch to preserve the active zone set information across switch resets. You do not have to issue the copy running-config startup-config command to store the active zone set. However, you need to issue the copy running-config startup-config command to explicitly store full zone sets. It is not available across switch resets.
•
All other switches in the fabric receive the active zone set so they can enforce zoning in their respective switches.
•
Hard and soft zoning are implemented using the active zone set. Modifications take effect during zone set activation.
•
An FC ID or Nx port that is not part of the active zone set belongs to the default zone and the default zone information is not distributed to other switches.
Figure 12-4 shows a zone being added to an activated zone set.
Figure 12-4 Active and Full Zone Sets
To activate a zone set, follow these steps:
|
Command
|
Purpose
|
Step 1
|
|
Enters configuration mode.
|
Step 2
|
switch(config)# zoneset activate name Zoneset1 vsan 3
|
Activates the specified zone set.
|
switch(config)# no zoneset activate name Zoneset1 vsan 3
|
Deactivates the specified zone set
|
Note
If one zone set is active and you activate another zone set, the currently active zone set is automatically deactivated. You don't need to explicitly deactivate the currently active zone set before activating a new zone set.
A Default Zone
Each member of a fabric (in effect a device attached to an Nx port) can belong to any zone. If a member is not part of any active zone, it is considered to be part of a default zone. Therefore, if no zone set is active in the fabric, all devices are considered to be in the default zone. Even though a member can belong to multiple zones, a member that is part of the default zone cannot be part of any other zone. The switch determines whether a port is a member of the default zone when the attached port comes up.
Note
Unlike configured zones, default zone information is not distributed to the other switches in the fabric.
Traffic can be permitted or denied to members of the default zone. This information is not distributed to all switches; it must be performed for each switch.
Note
When the switch is initialized for the first time, no zones are configured and all members are considered to be part of the default zone. Members are not permitted to talk to each other.
Configure the default zone policy on each switch in the fabric. If you change the default zone policy on one switch in a fabric, be sure to change it on all the other switches in the fabric. The default zone members are explicitly listed only when the default policy is configured as permit. When the default policy is configured as deny, the members of this zone are not explicitly enumerated when you issue the show zoneset active command.
To permit or deny traffic in the default zone, follow these steps:
|
Command
|
Purpose
|
Step 1
|
|
Enters configuration mode.
|
Step 2
|
switch(config)# zone default-zone permit vsan 1
|
Permits traffic flow to default zone members.
|
switch(config)# no zone default-zone permit vsan 1
|
Denies traffic flow to default zone members and reverts to factory default.
|
Note
The default settings for default zone configurations can be changed.
Recovering from Link Isolation
When two switches in a fabric are merged using a TE or E port, these TE and E ports may become isolated when the active zoneset databases are different between the two switches or fabrics. When a TE port or an E port become isolated, you can recover that port from its isolated state using one of three options:
•
Import the neighboring switch's active zoneset database and replace the current active zoneset (see Figure 12-5).
•
Export the current database to the neighboring switch (see Figure 12-5).
•
Manually resolve the conflict by editing the full zone set, bringing up the link, and then activating the corrected zone set.
Figure 12-5 Importing and Exporting the Database
Tip
The import and export commands should be issued from a single switch. Importing from one switch and exporting from another switch can lead to isolation again.
To import the zone database from an adjacent switch, follow these steps:
|
Command
|
Purpose
|
Step 1
|
switch# zone merge interface fc1/3 import vsan2
|
Imports the zone database from the adjacent switch connected through the VSAN 2 interface.
|
switch# zone merge interface fc2/8 export vsan5
|
Exports the zone database from the adjacent switch connected through the VSAN 5 interface.
|
Note
You can also issue zone merge interface commands for a range of VSANs.
Distributing Zone Sets
When a zone set is activated, by default, only the active zone set is sent to other switches in the Fabric. This command enables sending a full zone set along with the active zone set. It takes effect while sending merge request frame to the adjacent switch.
To distribute zone sets, follow these steps:
|
Command
|
Purpose
|
Step 1
|
|
Enters configuration mode.
|
Step 2
|
switch(config)# zoneset distribute full vsan 33
|
Enables sending a full zone set along with an active zone set.
|
Copying Zone Sets
You can copy an active zone set to a full zone set using the zone copy active-zoneset full-zoneset command. You can not make changes to an existing zone set and activate it, if the full zone set is lost or is not propagated. This command does not distribute zone sets.
Note
Since you can not edit an active zone set, this command is helpful in changing a copy of an existing zone set. You can make a copy and then edit it without altering the existing active zone set.
The zone copy command is used to copy active zone sets to the full zone set.
To distribute zone sets, follow this step:
|
Command
|
Purpose
|
Step 1
|
switch# zone copy active-zoneset full-zoneset
Please enter yes to proceed.(y/n) [n]? y
|
Makes a copy of the active zone set in the full zone set.
|
Clearing Zone Sets
Note
Clearing a zone set only erases the full zone database, not the active zone database.
To clear the zone server database, follow these steps:
|
Command
|
Purpose
|
Step 1
|
switch# clear zone database vsan2
|
Clears all configured information in the zone server for the specified VSAN.
|
Note
After issuing a clear zone database command, you need to explicitly issue the copy running-config startup-config to ensure that the running configuration is used when you next start the switch.
Viewing Zone Information
You can view any zone information for any configured interface by using the show command. If you request information for a specific object (for example, a specific zone, zone set, VSAN, alias, or even a keyword like brief or active), only information for the specified object is displayed. If you do not request specific information, all available information is displayed. See Examples 12-1 to 12-12.
Example 12-1 Displays Zone Information for All VSANs
switch(config)# show zone
zone name Zone3 vsan 1
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:6f:db:dd
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:9c:48:e5
fwwn 20:41:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
fwwn 20:42:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
fwwn 20:43:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:6f:db:dd
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:a6:be:2f
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:9c:48:e5
Example 12-2 Displays Zone Information for a Specific VSAN.
switch(config)# show zone vsan 1
zone name Zone3 vsan 1
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:6f:db:dd
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:9c:48:e5
fwwn 20:4f:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
fwwn 20:50:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
fwwn 20:51:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
fwwn 20:52:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
fwwn 20:53:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:6f:db:dd
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:a6:be:2f
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:9c:48:e5
Use the show zoneset command to view the configured zone sets.
Example 12-3 Display Configured Zone Set Information:
switch# show zoneset vsan 1
zoneset name ZoneSet2 vsan 1
fwwn 20:4e:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
fwwn 20:4f:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
fwwn 20:50:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
fwwn 20:51:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
fwwn 20:52:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:6f:db:dd
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:a6:be:2f
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:9c:48:e5
zoneset name ZoneSet1 vsan 1
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:6f:db:dd
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:a6:be:2f
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:9c:48:e5
Example 12-4 Display Configured Zone Set Information for a Range of VSANs:
switch# show zoneset vsan 2-3
zoneset name ZoneSet2 vsan 2
fwwn 20:52:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
fwwn 20:53:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
fwwn 20:54:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
fwwn 20:55:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
fwwn 20:56:00:05:30:00:2a:1e
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:6f:db:dd
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:a6:be:2f
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:9c:48:e5
zoneset name ZoneSet3 vsan 3
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:6f:db:dd
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:a6:be:2f
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:9c:48:e5
Use the show zone name command to display members of a specific zone.
Example 12-5 Displays Members of a Zone
switch# show zone name Zone1
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:6f:db:dd
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:a6:be:2f
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:9c:48:e5
Use the show fcalias command to display fcalias configuration.
Example 12-6 Displays fcalias Configuration
switch# show fcalias vsan 1
fcalias name Alias2 vsan 1
fcalias name Alias1 vsan 1
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:6f:db:dd
pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:9c:48:e5
Use the show zone member command to display all zones to which a member belongs using the FC ID.
Example 12-7 Displays Membership Status
switch# show zone member pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:9c:48:e5
Use the show zone statistics command to display the number of control frames exchanged with other switches.
Example 12-8 Displays Zone Statistics
switch# show zone statistics
Statistics For VSAN: 1
**********************************
Number of Merge Requests Sent: 24
Number of Merge Requests Recvd: 25
Number of Merge Accepts Sent: 25
Number of Merge Accepts Recvd: 25
Number of Merge Rejects Sent: 0
Number of Merge Rejects Recvd: 0
Number of Change Requests Sent: 0
Number of Change Requests Recvd: 0
Number of Change Rejects Sent: 0
Number of Change Rejects Recvd: 0
Number of GS Requests Recvd: 0
Number of GS Requests Rejected: 0
**********************************
Number of Merge Requests Sent: 4
Number of Merge Requests Recvd: 4
Number of Merge Accepts Sent: 4
Number of Merge Accepts Recvd: 4
Number of Merge Rejects Sent: 0
Number of Merge Rejects Recvd: 0
Number of Change Requests Sent: 0
Number of Change Requests Recvd: 0
Number of Change Rejects Sent: 0
Number of Change Rejects Recvd: 0
Number of GS Requests Recvd: 0
Number of GS Requests Rejected: 0
Example 12-9 Displays Active Zonesets
switch# show zoneset active
zoneset name ZoneSet1 vsan 1
* fcid 0xef0000 [pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:6f:db:dd]
* fcid 0xef0100 [pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:a6:be:2f]
Example 12-10 Displays Brief Descriptions of Zone Sets
switch# show zoneset brief
zoneset name ZoneSet1 vsan 1
Example 12-11 Displays Active Zones
* fcid 0xef0000 [pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:6f:db:dd]
* fcid 0xef0100 [pwwn 21:00:00:20:37:a6:be:2f]
Example 12-12 Displays Zone Status
VSAN: 1 default-zone: deny distribute: full Interop: Off
Zonesets:1 Zones:11 Aliases:0
Name: zoneset-1 Zonesets:1 Zones:11 Aliases:0
Status: Activation completed at Thu Feb 13 10:22:34 2003
VSAN: 2 default-zone: deny distribute: full Interop: Off
Zonesets:1 Zones:10 Aliases:0
Name: zoneset-2 Zonesets:1 Zones:10 Aliases:0
Status: Activation completed at Thu Feb 13 10:23:12 2003
VSAN: 3 default-zone: deny distribute: full Interop: Off
Zonesets:1 Zones:10 Aliases:0
Name: zoneset-3 Zonesets:1 Zones:10 Aliases:0
Status: Activation completed at Thu Feb 13 10:23:50 2003
Default Settings
Table 12-1 lists the default settings for zone parameters.
Table 12-1 Default Zone Parameters
Parameters
|
Default
|
Default zone policy
|
Denied to all members.
|
Full zone set distribute
|
The full zone set(s) is not distributed.
|
Zone Implementation
All switches in the Cisco MDS 9000 Family automatically support the following basic zone features (no additional configuration is required):
•
Zones are contained in a VSAN.
•
Hard zoning cannot be changed (more secure).
•
Name server queries are soft-zoned.
•
Only active zone sets are distributed.
•
Unzoned devices cannot access each other.
•
A zone or zone set with the same name can exist in each VSAN.
•
Each VSAN has a full database and an active database.
•
Active zone sets cannot be changed, without activating a full zone database.
•
Active zonesets are preserved across switch reboots.
•
Changes to the full database must be explicitly saved.
•
Zone reactivation (a zone set is active and you activate another zone set) does not disrupt existing traffic
You can additionally configure the following zone features if required:
•
Propagate full zone sets to all switches on a per VSAN basis using the zoneset distribute full-database vsan command.
•
Change the default policy for unzoned members using the zone default permit vsan command.
•
Inter-operate with other vendors by configuring a VSAN in the interop mode using the vsan 1 interop command.
–
Configure one VSAN in the interop mode and another VSAN in the basic mode in the same switch without disrupting each other
•
Bring E ports out of isolation using the export or import commands