ViPR Controller Error: Zone Creation Failed Due to Name Conflict with Existing Active Zone with Different Members
Summary: Failed to create zones for export group because of: Encountered an error while adding zones: An active zone with the same name but different members exist.
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Symptoms
Upgraded to ViPR Controller version 3.6.1.0.x.
The user/system is unable to add volumes to an existing cluster after upgrading to ViPR Controller 3.6.1.0.x. The error message is shown below:
vipr3 xxxxx.xxx.xxx.org controllersvc 2017-08-09 19:05:23,125 [5182|zoneExportAddVolumes|a35640a9-ce7b-4001-9c41-6ed8747880bae2693f19-1667-4704-a323-3e776aff57d1] INFO WorkflowService.java (line 652) Updating workflow step: a35640a9-ce7b-4001-9c41-6ed8747880bae2693f19-1667-4704-a323-3e776aff57d1 state ERROR : Failed to create zones for export group because of: Encountered an error while adding zones: An active zone with the same name but different members exists. Zone <user zone name> must have been either manually created or modified. Please undo any manual changes.
The user/system is unable to add volumes to an existing cluster after upgrading to ViPR Controller 3.6.1.0.x. The error message is shown below:
vipr3 xxxxx.xxx.xxx.org controllersvc 2017-08-09 19:05:23,125 [5182|zoneExportAddVolumes|a35640a9-ce7b-4001-9c41-6ed8747880bae2693f19-1667-4704-a323-3e776aff57d1] INFO WorkflowService.java (line 652) Updating workflow step: a35640a9-ce7b-4001-9c41-6ed8747880bae2693f19-1667-4704-a323-3e776aff57d1 state ERROR : Failed to create zones for export group because of: Encountered an error while adding zones: An active zone with the same name but different members exists. Zone <user zone name> must have been either manually created or modified. Please undo any manual changes.
Cause
ViPR Controller 3.6.1.0.x has a code issue that prevents zone exports since it does not process Cisco device-aliases properly.
The issue was caused as a side effect of a bug fix that involved setting the alias type for a zone member to enable listing the zone member alias names. This impacted logic that gets executed during provisioning and zoning, which looks into the zone members and alias types to determine the equivalence between the zones.
The Release Notes for version 3.6.1.1 further describes the issue as follows:
COP-33837
SAN-Cisco Original issue:
Export group updates fail for alias-based zones. When you perform an export to a host and then try to perform path adjustment or export more volumes to the same host, the updates/export fail with:
This issue has been resolved in 3.6.1.1.
The Release Notes for 3.6.1.1 are available at the following URL:
The issue was caused as a side effect of a bug fix that involved setting the alias type for a zone member to enable listing the zone member alias names. This impacted logic that gets executed during provisioning and zoning, which looks into the zone members and alias types to determine the equivalence between the zones.
The Release Notes for version 3.6.1.1 further describes the issue as follows:
COP-33837
SAN-Cisco Original issue:
Export group updates fail for alias-based zones. When you perform an export to a host and then try to perform path adjustment or export more volumes to the same host, the updates/export fail with:
Error 22003: Message: Failed to create zones for export group because of:
Encountered an error while adding zones: An active zone with the same name but different members exists.
Encountered an error while adding zones: An active zone with the same name but different members exists.
This issue has been resolved in 3.6.1.1.
The Release Notes for 3.6.1.1 are available at the following URL:
Resolution
Resolution:
A fix for the issue is available in ViPR Controller version 3.6.1.1.197 or higher.
Workaround:
Prior to 3.6.1.1.197, one workaround is to remove all Cisco pwwn device-aliases from the Cisco networks/switches used in ViPR Controller. This workaround must be discussed with the customer's network team prior to application.
Another workaround, only for environments that DO NOT have VPLEX in the ViPR Controller data path, is to set the following variable in the ViPR Controller user interface:
Physical > Controller Config > SAN Zoning > Enable Zoning On Export Add Volume (dropdown menu) > Scope Type > Global > Scope Value > Default > Value > False
Article Properties
Article Number: 000168027
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 03 Oct 2025
Version: 3
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