Switch migration help please

Question

I need to replace 2 mdata switches with a pair of brocade switches. I thought at first I could put the brocades in a different numbered domain, such as #2. Can I just disconnect the fiber patches from one of the McData switches and connect the Brocade into the SAN (disconnecting the McData from the SAN), zone my ports on the new Brocade then once the Brocade is finished start disconnecting the other McData, Next finish the second Brocade. Is this feasable? Do you see any problems with this approach? I guess if I can get down time for the servers all together I can disconnect and reconnect the new swithces and zone them. Any suggestions to make the cut over smoother if I need to keep server connectivity during the process. I have heard that building the new switches into the 'domain1' can get messy when I try to remove the 'domain master' switches.

Kiran3 · Answer

AFIK, Brocades will not talk to McData switches properly unless you have latest code or have interop mode set on McData switches.

if hosts have multiple paths from host to arrays, i would migrate one side to new switch first and demise one mcData...followed by second fabric...

RRR · Answer

if hosts have multiple paths from host to arrays, i would migrate one side to new switch first and demise one mcData...followed by second fabric...

That's how I'd do it as well. I've done it several times now and that works like a charm. since you usually don't have a SPOF in your SAN (you have 2 separate fabrics normally), you can set up 1 new fabric and put all patch cables from 1 old fabric into the new, recreate aliases, zones and zoneset and you're good to go.

RRR · Answer

of course

SKT2 · Answer

Also once you finish the first phase (moving from one of the Mdata switch to brocade) do some fail over test to see if things are working as expected before proceeding with the second phase

StewieGriffin1 · Answer

Thanks guys for your input.

Connectrix

Switch migration help please

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