how to prevent Merging of two fabric

We have 2 SAN fabrics. A 9513 and 9509. Both these are isolated as both belong to different environments. I need to create an ISL between these switches so hosts from one fabric can use storage on the other and vice versa but we do not want these fabrics to merge.
I have changed AFIDs on both switches followed by VSAN domain ids, made them static, enabled IVR nat, configured ivr vsan topology to auto.
When i attempt to create an ISL i see things which i am not sure i should be seeing or not. As ISL is enabled 1st switch(9513) becomes principal and 2nd (9509) switch becomes subordiate. All the configuration in fabric manager disappears from switch 2.
Suddenly all the data appears on Principal switch for switch 2 in the form of segmented VSAN.
Is there any way by virtue of which both fabrics can work independently thus having an ISL? Please send me your thoughts.

Responses(6)

healyj

141 Posts

0

November 28th, 2017 07:00

Hi there,

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RRR

5.7K Posts

0

June 2nd, 2009 04:00

I'm not quite sure I understand:

What about VSAN's on both switches ? Are you using the same VSAN numbers ? If so, the fabrics (VSAN's) will merge. If you're not using the same VSAN numbers, no merges will take place.

If you need ports on switch 1 to be able to access ports on switch 2 you can either use IVR or you can put the ports ni the same VSAN, so the VSAN's with the same numbers in both switches will merge.
The hosts on this one switch, do they need to access storage on both switches ?

B

bracknell

4 Posts

0

June 4th, 2009 08:00

We do have VSAN with same VSAN no, but my issue is we want to create an ISL between 2 switches but we do not want 1 switch to become principal and other subordinate. We want both switches to work independent of wach other but this does not seem to happen in this case.
Is there a way for us to have an ISL and keep the 2 switches independent of each other else we are left with only one solution to merge the fabric.

RRR

5.7K Posts

0

June 5th, 2009 07:00

If you don't allow the VSAN that exist on both sides, the 2 VSAN's won't merge. You will end up with a fractured VSAN, but separate, as you requested.

ConnectrixHelpe

259 Posts

0

June 5th, 2009 11:00

Principal switch selection is done on a VSAN type basis in Cisco MDS so you don't have to worry about that like other vendors. As previously stated I would create different vsans on the switches and restrict what VSANs you allow you communicate across the ISLs. You can then use IVR to allow cross VSAN communication as necessary.

I'm curious to find out why you are concerned about Principal switch selection though.

Thank you.

RRR

5.7K Posts

0

June 8th, 2009 04:00

If you don't allow the VSAN...

What you said is exactly what I meant, but like you said I'm not sure what the reason is for the ISL in the first place.

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