Vixel 9000 series - Page 38

Vixel 9000 Series Installation & Configuration Guide CHAPTER 6 Zoning
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When you activate or deactivate a Zone Set through the Web Manager or CLI, a
zone change request is sent to the switch’s Management Server. The switch attempts
to gain authority to change zoning on the fabric. If this authority is granted, the
switch momentarily becomes the Managing Switch. (Only one switch at a time can
be a Managing Switch.) Through its Management Server, the Managing Switch
validates the received zone change request and updates other switches (referred to
as Managed Switches) with the zone change. On each Managed Switch, the
activated Zone Set is stored in flash (for persistence at power-up). The enforced
Zone Set (which is identical to the activated Zone Set) is stored in temporary
memory only.
Enforcement of Previously Activated Zone Sets—Zone Merge
At power-up or when fabrics are joined, each switch becomes aware of Inter-Switch
Links (ISLs). No Zone Set is enforced yet. The switch attempts to combine its active
Zone Set (from flash) with those of connected switches. This combination process is
called the zone merge operation. Success depends on compatibility of active Zone
Sets.
For ease of illustration, the zone merge operation is described here as it occurs
between two switches. To be compatible with the active Zone Set on the connected
switch, a switch’s active Zone Set must have the same name and all of its Zones
must be unique. A successful zone merge operation results in a common enforced
Zone Set. (The enforced Zone Set is stored in temporary memory, but the previously
active Zone Set from each individual switch’s flash is unchanged). Successful zone
merge can happen in two ways:
• When both switches begin with identical copies of the active Zone Set, the
resulting enforced Zone Set is the same as the active Zone Set in each switch’s
flash. (See Row 1 in the table below.)
• When each switch begins with different but compatible copies of the active
Zone Set, the resulting enforced Zone Set reflects their combination; therefore,
the Zone Set stored in each switch’s temporary memory could differ from the
Zone Set stored in that switch’s flash. (See Rows 2 and 3 in the table below.)
Examples of Successful Zone Merge Operations
Active Zone Set (in Flash)
Enforced Zone Set (in Temp.
Memory) After Zone Merge
Switch ASwitch BSwitch ASwitch B
Zone Set “Backup”
• Zone “UNIX”
Zone Set “Backup”
• Zone “UNIX”
Zone Set “Backup”
• Zone “UNIX”
Each row above is an example. In these examples, Zone Sets are compatible; each Zone, as
recorded in flash, is unique. The MAC Zone always contains just the “21 00 00 20 37 C6
E4 BD” Member, the NT Zone always contains just the “FF EE DD CC BB AA 99 88”
Member, and the UNIX Zone always contains just the “11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88” Member.