Doof,

Brocade allows you to select the principal switch via the use of a "fabricprincipal" command rather than setting a priority number like the mds.

To make a brocade switch the principal switch in the fabric, then you would enter

fabricprincipal -f 1

If for some reason you don't want the switch to be principal then it's

fabricprincipal -f 0

Remember however that someone in the fabric must be principal, and if everyone's priority is the same (ie: everyone wants to be, or every one does not want to be principal), then it's the switch with the lowest switch WWN that wins the honour.

Hope that helps,
Glen.

So does the -f 1 override the priority setting of an MDS or not ?
Who will be the principal incase the MDS and the Brocade are in a single fabric and the Brocade's setting is -f 1 and the MDS's prio is set to 1 or so ?

The "principal switch" in a fabric is AFAIK simply the switch that offers some "well known services". The principal will offer essentially the Name Service and a few other services that use "well known" DIDs. Usually it's not that crucial to know WHICH switch is offering those servces. You simply need that somewhere in your fabric someone is listening (and answering) messages addressed to those "well known services".

If you need to know exactly what switch will be the principal, allow only this specific switch to be principal. But if you'll turn off this specific switch, your fabric will fall to its knees since nobody will be allowed to become principal .. Not that funnny, isn't it ??

My 2 cents .. leave the switches the freedom to choose whom is the principal

I was only wondering which switch will become the principal switch. I know what a principal switch is

By default all Brocades is principal..