Brocade ISL Trunking: User's Guide Version 3.1.0 / 4.1.0

Brocade ISL Trunking
Users Guide Version 3.1.0 / 4.1.0
Publication Number 53-0000520-02 Publication Date: 04/25/03
Copyright 2003, Brocade Communications Systems, Incorporated. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Publication Number 53-0000520-02
BROCADE, the Brocade B weave logo, Brocade: the Intelligent Platform for Networking Storage, SilkWorm, and SilkWorm Express, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or in other countries. All other brands, products, or service names are or may be trademarks or service marks of, and are used to identify, products or services of their respective owners. FICON is a registered trademark of IBM Corporation in the US and other countries. Notice: The information in this document is provided AS IS, without warranty of any kind, including, without limitation, any implied warranty of merchantability, noninfringement or fitness for a particular purpose. Disclosure of information in this material in no way grants a recipient any rights under Brocade's patents, copyrights, trade secrets or other intellectual property rights. Brocade reserves the right to make changes to this document at any time, without notice, and assumes no responsibility for its use. The authors and Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. shall have no liability or responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, cost, liability, or damages arising from the information contained in this book or the computer programs that accompany it. Notice: The product described by this document may contain open source software covered by the GNU General Public License or other open source license agreements. To find-out which open source software is included in Brocade products, view the licensing terms applicable to the open source software, and obtain a copy of the programming source code, please visit http://www.brocade.com/support/oscd. Export of technical data contained in this document may require an export license from the United States Government.
Brocade Communications Systems, Incorporated

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Document History
The table below lists all versions of the Brocade ISL Trunking Users Guide. Document Title Brocade ISL Trunking Users Guide Version 3.0 Brocade ISL Trunking Users Guide Version 3.0/4.0 Publication Number Publication Date 53-0000136-03 53-0000189-02 July 2001 March 2002 April 2003
Brocade ISL Trunking Users Guide Version 3.1.0 / 4.1.0 53-0000520-02
Contents
Preface
Whats New in This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Intended Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Manual Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Formatting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Notes, Cautions, and Warnings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Related Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brocade Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Additional Resource Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . How to Get Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii vii viii viii viii viii ix ix x
Chapter 1
Introducing ISL Trunking

How ISL Trunking Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Routing of Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trunking Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trunking ISLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trunking Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 1-2 1-2 1-3 1-3
Chapter 2
Setting Up ISL Trunking in a Fabric

License Activation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Verify Activated Licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Activate License . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Implementing Trunking in the Fabric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Designing the Fabric to Optimize Use of ISL Trunking . . . . . . . . . . . . . Evaluating Data Traffic Patterns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1 2-1 2-2 2-2 2-3 2-4
ISL Trunking Users Guide
Chapter 3
Managing ISL Trunking

Enabling and Disabling Trunking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enabling and Disabling Trunking Through the Command Line Interface Enabling and Disabling Trunking through Web Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Specifying Port Speeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting Port Speeds through the Command Line Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . Setting Port Speeds through Web Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying Trunking Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying Trunking Information through the Command Line Interface Displaying Trunking Information Through Web Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Debugging a Trunking ISL Failure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Interpreting ISL Trunking Error Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frequently Asked Questions About ISL Trunking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1 3-1 3-2 3-3 3-3 3-5 3-5 3-6 3-6 3-7 3-7 3-8 3-9
Appendix A Commands Related to ISL Trunking

Command List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . portcfgspeed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . portcfgtrunkport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . switchcfgspeed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . switchcfgtrunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . trunkdebug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . trunkshow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1 A-2 A-3 A-4 A-5 A-6 A-7
Index
vi
Preface
This manual provides comprehensive information to help you administer your SilkWorm switch and storage area network (SAN). This manual was developed to help technical experts operate, maintain, and troubleshoot SAN products. A list of additional SAN resource reference materials is also included. The sections that follow provide:
A summary of updates to this document. The intended audience for this document. Information to help you use Brocade documentation. Information on additional SAN resources. How to get Technical Support.
Whats New in This Book

The following changes have been made since this book was released with part number 53-0000189-02:
Information that was added: - Best practice recommendations for implementing trunking - Command descriptions (appendix) - Examples of command output - Information about trunking-related error messages - Web Tools screens related to ISL Trunking Information that was modified: - The book has been reorganized Information that was removed: - The glossary is now provided as a separate document on the Brocade Documentation CD
Intended Audience
This document is intended for use by systems administrators and technicians experienced with networking, Fibre Channel, and SAN technologies.
vii
Manual Conventions
This section lists text formatting conventions and important notices formats used in this document.
Formatting
The following table describes the formatting conventions that are used in this book: Convention bold text Purpose
italic text
code text
identifies command names identifies GUI elements identifies keywords/operands identifies text to enter at the GUI or CLI provides emphasis identifies variables identifies paths and internet addresses identifies book titles and cross references identifies CLI output identifies syntax examples
Notes, Cautions, and Warnings

The following notices appear in this document: Note: A note provides a tip, emphasizes important information, or provides a reference to related information.
Caution:
A caution alerts you to potential damage to hardware, firmware, software, or data.
Warning:
A warning alerts you to potential danger to personnel.
Related Publications
This section lists additional documentation that you may find helpful.
viii
Brocade Documentation
The following related publications are provided on the Brocade Documentation CD-ROM and on the Brocade Partner Web site:
Brocade Fabric OS documentation - Brocade Diagnostic and System Error Message Reference - Brocade Fabric OS Procedures Guide - Brocade Fabric OS Reference Brocade Fabric OS optional features documentation - Brocade Advanced Performance Monitoring User's Guide - Brocade Advanced Web Tools User's Guide - Brocade Advanced Zoning User's Guide - Brocade Distributed Fabrics User's Guide - Brocade Fabric Watch Users Guide - Brocade QuickLoop User's Guide (v 3.1.0 only) - Brocade Secure Fabric OS User's Guide - Secure Fabric OS QuickStart Guide Brocade Hardware documentation - Brocade SilkWorm 12000 Hardware Reference (for v.4.1.0 software) - Brocade SilkWorm 12000 QuickStart Guide (for v4.1.0 software) - Brocade SilkWorm 3900 Hardware Reference (for v.4.1.0 software) - Brocade SilkWorm 3800 Hardware Reference (for v.3.1.0 software) - Brocade SilkWorm 3200 Hardware Reference (for v.3.1.0 software)
Release notes are available on the Brocade Partner Web site and are also bundled with the Fabric OS.
Additional Resource Information

For practical discussions about SAN design, implementation, and maintenance, Building SANs with Brocade Fabric Switches is available through: http://www.amazon.com For additional Brocade documentation, visit the Brocade SAN Info Center and click the Resource Library location: http://www.brocade.com For additional resource information, visit the Technical Committee T11 Web site. This Web site provides interface standards for high-performance and mass storage applications for fibre channel, storage management, as well as other applications: http://www.t11.org For information about the Fibre Channel industry, visit the Fibre Channel Industry Association Web site: http://www.fibrechannel.org
ix
How to Get Technical Support

Contact your switch support supplier for hardware, firmware, and software support, including product repairs and part ordering. To assist your support representative and to expedite your call, have the following three sets of information immediately available when you call: 1. General Information

2.
Technical Support contract number, if applicable switch model switch operating system version error messages received supportshow command output detailed description of the problem and specific questions description of any troubleshooting steps already performed and results
Switch Serial Number The switch serial number and corresponding bar code are provided on the serial number label, as shown below.
:
*FT00X0054E9
FT00X0054E9 The serial number label is located as follows:

3.
SilkWorm 2000 series switches: Bottom of chassis SilkWorm 3200 and 3800 switches: Back of chassis SilkWorm 3900 switches: Bottom of chassis SilkWorm 6400 and 12000 switches: Inside front of chassis, on wall to left of ports
Worldwide Name (WWN)
SilkWorm 3900 and 12000 switches: Provide the license ID. Use the licenseidshow command to display the license ID. All other SilkWorm switches: Provide the switch WWN. Use the wwn command to display the switch WWN.
Chapter
ISL Trunking is an optionally licensed product available on all SilkWorm 2 Gbit/sec switches, which includes the SilkWorm 3200, SilkWorm 3800, SilkWorm 3900, and SilkWorm 12000. ISL Trunking is licensed on a per-switch basis. It optimizes network performance by forming trunking groups that can distribute traffic across the shared bandwidth of all the ISLs (inter-switch links) in the trunking group. It is compatible with both short wavelength (SWL) and long wavelength (LWL) fiber optic cables and transceivers. ISL Trunking allows up to four ISL connections between two switches to merge logically into a single link. This enables traffic to be routed through any available ISL in the group rather than being restricted to a specific, potentially congested ISL. ISL Trunking distributes traffic dynamically across the merged ISLs at the fibre channel frame level while preserving in-order delivery of the frames. This chapter provides the following information:
How ISL Trunking Works on page 1-1 Routing of Traffic on page 1-2 Trunking Groups on page 1-2 Trunking ISLs on page 1-3 Trunking Ports on page 1-3
How ISL Trunking Works

The ISL Trunking software identifies and constructs trunking groups as soon as the ISL Trunking license is activated. The ISLs and ports that participate in trunking groups are referred to as trunking ISLs and trunking ports. ISL Trunking makes it possible to accomplish the same fabric performance with fewer ISLs, resulting in simplified fabric design and management, lowered cost of ownership, increased fabric performance, and increased data availability.
1-1
Figure 1-1 illustrates how trunking can result in more throughput by avoiding congestion. In this example, the data available for transmission is distributed over the four ISLs with no congestion, since it is below the total 8 Gbit/sec capacity of the combined ISLs. In a fabric that does not have trunking capability, some paths would be congested and other paths under-utilized.
Figure 1-1
Distribution of Traffic Over an ISL Trunking Group
Routing of Traffic
The same routing protocol, Fabric Shortest Path First (FSPF), is used with and without ISL Trunking. FSPF directs traffic along the shortest path between source and destination, based on the link cost, and makes it possible to detect link failures, determine the shortest route for traffic, update the routing table, provide fixed routing paths within a fabric, and maintain correct ordering of frames. ISL Trunking reduces or eliminates situations that require static traffic routes and individual ISL management in order to achieve optimal performance. If any static routes are specified using the urouteconfig command, the command overrides the dynamic load sharing employed by ISL Trunking, and performance may decrease accordingly. ISL Trunking uses deskew values, which are a measure of the latency differences between ISL cables in the same group, to provide in-order delivery of traffic. Deskew values are automatically calculated at the creation of each new trunking group.
Trunking Groups
A trunking group can contain two to four ISLs. If any eligible ISLs exist, trunking groups automatically form when the ISL Trunking license is activated. Multiple trunking groups can exist between the same two switches, and each switch can support as many trunking groups as allowed by the available ports.
1-2
Trunking ISLs
The first ISL discovered in any trunking group is automatically designated as the trunking master ISL. Each trunking group has one master ISL and up to three subordinate ISLs. The master ISL cannot be specified by the user. If a master ISL fails or is removed, there may be a pause in the I/O associated with that trunk as a new master ISL is designated and traffic is redistributed. If data frames were in flight during failure of the master ISL, some frames may be lost, depending on the fibre channel class: Class 2 frames are resent and Class 3 frames are dropped. The impact of any dropped frames on the I/O depends on the host, application, storage, and HBA (host bus adapter) in use. If a subordinate ISL fails or is removed, the traffic is redistributed without interruption over the remaining members in the trunking group. The difference in cable length between the shortest ISL and the longest ISL in a trunking group must be less than 400 meters, and less than 30 meters is recommended.
Trunking Ports
The ports on either end of the master ISL are called trunking master ports, and these ports work together to direct traffic over the trunked ISLs. All other ports are called trunking subordinate ports. All trunking ports must meet the following criteria:
All ports in the same trunking group must reside in the same quad; quads are groups of four adjacent ports that are marked in intervals on each switch. The first four ports on a switch comprise the first quad, and every group of four adjacent ports thereafter comprise another quad. Figure 1-2 though Figure 1-5 show the quads for various switch models. The port speed must be set to auto-negotiate or to 2 Gbit/sec (the default speed is autonegotiate). If Extended Fabrics is in use, the ports must be in the L0 mode. ISL Trunking does not support the LE, L1, or L2 portcfglongdistance modes. For information about these modes and Extended Fabrics in general, refer to the Distributed Fabrics Users Guide.
Potential trunking groups are marked on the front of the switch, according to quad location. Figure 1-2 shows which ports on a SilkWorm 3200 belong to the same quads.
Ports 0-3
Ports 4-7
Figure 1-2
Port Groupings on a SilkWorm 3200
1-3
Figure 1-3 shows which ports on a SilkWorm 3800 belong to the same quads.
Ports 0-3
Ports 4-7
Ports 8-11
Ports 12-15
Figure 1-3
Quad and Port Groupings of a SilkWorm 3800
Figure 1-4 shows which ports on a SilkWorm 3900 belong to the same quads.
Ports 16-19 Ports 20-23 Ports 24-27 Ports 28-31
Ports 0-3
Ports 4-7
Ports 8-11
Ports 12-15
Figure 1-4
Quad and Port Groupings of a SilkWorm 3900
1-4
Figure 1-5 shows which ports on a SilkWorm 12000 port card belong to the same quads.
Ports 12-15
Ports 8-11
Ports 4-7
Ports 0-3
Figure 1-5
Port Groupings on the Port Card of a SilkWorm 12000
1-5
1-6
Chapter
The ISL Trunking feature is provided with the Fabric OS and can be activated by entering a license key, available from the switch supplier. When the ISL Trunking license is activated, trunking is automatically implemented for any eligible ISLs. A license must be activated on each switch that will participate in trunking. For the SilkWorm 12000, a single license key enables the feature on both logical switches. This chapter provides the following information:
License Activation on page 2-1 Implementing Trunking in the Fabric on page 2-2
License Activation
Licenses can be verified and activated through the command line interface (CLI) or through Web Tools. This section provides CLI instructions only. For instructions on activating a license through Web Tools, refer to the Advanced Web Tools Users Guide.
Verify Activated Licenses

The current licenses can be displayed using the licenseshow command. To activate an ISL Trunking license through the CLI: 1. 2. 3. Open a telnet or serial connection to the switch. Log into the switch as Admin. The default password is password. Enter the licenseshow command. A list of the activated licenses is displayed.
Example
admin> licenseshow 1A1AaAaaaAAAA1a: Web license Zoning license SES license Trunking license Security license switch:admin>
2-1
If the ISL Trunking license is listed, the feature is already available. If the license is not listed, perform the procedure under Activate License.
Activate License
Licenses can be activated using the licenseadd command. To activate an ISL Trunking license through the CLI: 1. 2. 3. 4. Open a telnet or serial connection to the switch. Log into the switch as Admin. The default password is password. Contact the switch supplier for an ISL Trunking license key. Enter the following: licenseadd key Key is the license key exactly as provided by the switch supplier. The license key is case sensitive.
Example
switch:admin> licenseadd "aAaaaaAaAaAaAaA" adding license key "aAaaaaAaAaAaAaA" done. switch:admin>
5.
Enter the licenseshow command to verify that the license was successfully activated. The feature is available as soon as the license is activated.
Implementing Trunking in the Fabric

To use ISL Trunking in the fabric, the fabric must be designed to allow trunking groups to form. To identify the most useful trunking groups, evaluate the traffic patterns before designing/redesigning the fabric. Note: ISL Trunking is enabled by default for each port on the switch as shipped. For instructions on disabling and enabling trunking capability for individual ports or all the ports on the switch, see Enabling and Disabling Trunking on page 3-1.
2-2
Designing the Fabric to Optimize Use of ISL Trunking

ISL Trunking can be used to simplify SAN (storage area network) design and improve performance. When designing the SAN, consider the following recommendations in addition to the standard guidelines for SAN design:
Evaluate the traffic patterns within the fabric. This allows implementation of trunking groups that will help to optimize fabric performance. Refer to Evaluating Data Traffic Patterns on page 2-4 for more information. Place trunking-capable switches adjacent to each other.This maximizes the number of trunking groups that can form. If using a core/edge topology, place trunking-capable switches at the core of the fabric and any switches that are not trunking -capable at the edge of the fabric. Activate an ISL Trunking license on each switch that is expected to participate in a trunking group. The lengths of the ISLs in the group should differ by less than 30 meters (recommended), and must differ by less than 400 meters. This is because large differences in latency decrease the efficiency of load-sharing. If cable lengths differ by 400 meters or more, the trunking group forms only for the ISLs that have lengths that differ by less than 400 meters. When connecting two switches with two or more ISLs, ensure that all trunking requirements are met to allow a trunking group to form. Determine the optimal number of trunking groups between each set of linked switches, depending on traffic patterns and port availability. The goal is to avoid traffic congestion without unnecessarily using ports that could be used to attach other switches or devices. Considerations: - Each physical ISL uses 2 ports that could otherwise be used to attach node devices or other switches. - Trunking groups can be used to resolve ISL oversubscription if the total capability of the trunking group is not exceeded. Consider how the addition of a new path will affect existing traffic patterns: - A trunking group has the same link cost as the master ISL of the group, regardless of the number of ISLs in the group. This allows subordinate ISLs to be added or removed without causing data to be re-routed, since the link cost remains constant. - The addition of a path that is shorter than existing paths causes traffic to be re-routed through that path. - The addition of a path that is longer than existing paths may not be useful since the traffic will choose the shorter paths first. For trunking groups over which traffic is likely to increase as business requirements grow, consider leaving one or two ports in the quad available, for future use as a non-disruptive addition of bandwidth to that trunk.
2-3
Consider creating redundant trunking groups where additional ports are available or paths are particularly critical. This helps to protect against oversubscription of trunking groups, multiple ISL failures in the same group, and the rare occurrence of an ASIC failure. To provide the highest level of reliability, deploy trunking groups in redundant fabrics to further ensure ISL failures do not disrupt business operations. SWL and LWL fiber optic cables and transceivers can be used in the same trunking group.
Note:
Evaluating Data Traffic Patterns

Traffic patterns can be monitored using the portperfshow command, the Performance Monitoring feature, the Fabric Watch feature, or a combination.
Using the CLI to Gather Traffic Data

The portperfshow command can be used to record the traffic volume for each port over time to identify the congested paths that would benefit from the implementation of trunking groups. This command can also be used to identify frequently dropped links, so that troubleshooting can be performed and the links can be added back to trunking groups as necessary. To use the portperfshow command to gather traffic data: 1. 2. 3. Open a serial or telnet connection to one of the central switches in the fabric. Log into the switch as Admin. The default password is password. Enter the following: portperfshow [interval] interval is the number of seconds between each sample. If no interval is specified, the frequency defaults to one sample every 1 second. 4. 5. Record the traffic flow for each port that is participating in an ISL. Repeat step 1 through step 4 for the other switches in the fabric as required, until all ISL traffic flow is captured (in a very large fabric, it may be necessary to identify and capture the key ISLs, only to save time). Repeat step 1 through step 5 throughout the day (or entire work cycle) to capture varying traffic patterns.
Example
6.
The following example for a SilkWorm 3200 with no trunking shows under-utilized links (ports 0, 1, 2) and congested links (ports 4, 5).
switch:admin> portperfshow 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Total -------------------------------------------------------------------0 0 0 145m 204m 202m 0 168m 719 0 0 0 145m 206m 208m 0 186m 745 switch:admin>
2-4
Example
The following example shows traffic flowing through a trunking group of three ports, with one of the links failing after the second reading, causing redistribution of traffic over the remaining two links in the group.
switch:admin> portperfshow 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Total -------------------------------------------------------------------0 0 0 0 0 145m 144m 145m 434 0 0 0 0 0 144m 143m 144m 431 0 0 0 0 0 162m 0 162m 324 0 0 0 0 0 186m 0 186m 372 0 0 0 0 0 193m 0 192m 385 0 0 0 0 0 202m 0 202m 404 0 0 0 0 0 209m 0 209m 418 switch:admin>
For more details about this command, refer to the Fabric OS Reference.
Using Performance Monitoring to Gather Traffic Data

Performance Monitoring can be used to monitor traffic flow and to view the impact of different fabric configurations on performance. For instructions on using Performance Monitoring, refer to the Advanced Performance Monitoring Users Guide.
Using Fabric Watch to Gather Traffic Data

Fabric Watch can be used to monitor traffic flow through specified ports on the switch and send alerts when the traffic exceeds or drops below configurable thresholds. This allows the administrator to monitor changes in traffic patterns and adjust the fabric design accordingly, such as by adding, removing, or reconfiguring ISLs and trunking groups. For instructions on configuring Fabric Watch thresholds and alerts, refer to the Fabric Watch Users Guide.
2-5
2-6
Chapter
ISL Trunking provides a number of management options, including enabling and disabling trunking on entire switches or individual ports, setting port speeds for entire switches or individual ports, displaying trunking information, and debugging any trunking failures. ISL Trunking can be managed using a telnet or serial command line interface, Web Tools, or Fabric Manager. Standard SNMP applications can be used to view but not to write trunking information. This chapter provides the following information:
Enabling and Disabling Trunking on page 3-1 Specifying Port Speeds on page 3-3 Displaying Trunking Information on page 3-5 Troubleshooting on page 3-7 Frequently Asked Questions About ISL Trunking on page 3-9
Enabling and Disabling Trunking

Trunking can be enabled and disabled for an individual port or an entire switch, through either the CLI or Web Tools.
Enabling and Disabling Trunking Through the Command Line Interface

Telnet and serial sessions can be used to enable and disable trunking. To enable or disable trunking for an individual port: 1. 2. 3. Open a CLI connection to the switch to be modified. Log into the switch as Admin. The default password is password. Enter the following: portcfgtrunkport slotnumber/portnumber 1|0 slotnumber = Specify number of slot in which the port card containing the port is located; only required for SilkWorm 12000 portnumber = Specify port number on which to enable or disable trunking
3-1
1|0 = Enable/disable trunking; specify 1 to enable this port for trunking, or 0 to disable this port for trunking Example Enabling trunking for port 3 in slot 1:
switch:admin> portcfgtrunkport 1/3 1 done. switch:admin>
To enable or disable trunking for ALL the ports on a switch: 1. 2. 3. Open a CLI connection to the switch to be modified. Log into the switch as Admin. The default password is password. Enter the following: switchcfgtrunk 1|0 1|0 = Enables or disables trunking; specify 1 to enable trunking on all ports in the switch, or 0 to disable trunking on all ports in the switch
Example
Enabling all ports on the switch for trunking:

switch:admin> switchcfgtrunk 1 Committing configuration...done. switch:admin>
Enabling and Disabling Trunking through Web Tools

Web Tools can be used to enable and disable trunking. To enable or disable trunking for one or more ports through Web Tools: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Launch Web Tools by launching the web browser and entering the switch name or IP address in the URL field. Double-click to select the switch from the navigation tree. Click the Admin button. Log into the switch as Admin. The default password is password. Select the Port Setting tab. Select or deselect the checkboxes in the Trunking column to enable or disable trunking for each port (deselect to disable trunking). See Figure 3-1. Click Apply.
3-2
Trunking is immediately enabled or disabled for each port according to the selections.
Figure 3-1
Port Setting Tab in the Switch Admin Window of Web Tools
Specifying Port Speeds

Port speeds can be set for the entire switch or for individual ports using either the CLI or Web Tools. If trunking is enabled, the only supported speeds are 2 Gbit/sec and auto-negotiate. If trunking is not enabled, 1 Gbit/sec is also supported.
Setting Port Speeds through the Command Line Interface

A telnet or serial session can be used to set the port speed for an individual port or the entire switch. To specify the speed for all the ports on the switch using the CLI: 1. 2. Open a CLI connection (telnet or serial) to the switch to be modified. Log into the switch as Admin. The default password is password.
3-3
3.
Enter the following: switchcfgspeed speedlevel Speedlevel = Link speed, as follows: 0 Auto-negotiating mode. The port automatically configures for the highest speed.
1 1 Gbit/sec mode. The port will be at fixed speed of 1 Gbit/sec. This setting is not supported if trunking is enabled on the port. 2
Examples
2 Gbit/sec mode. The port will be at fixed speed of 2 Gbit/sec.
Setting the speed for all ports on the switch to 2 Gbit/sec:

switch:admin> switchcfgspeed 2 Committing configuration...done. switch:admin>
Setting the speed for all ports on the switch to auto-negotiate:

To specify the speed for an individual port: 1. 2. 3. Open a CLI connection to the switch to be modified. Log into the switch as Admin. The default password is password. Enter the following: portcfgspeed slotnumber/portnumber speedlevel slotnumber = Number of the switch slot; only required for the SilkWorm 12000 portnumber = Number of the port speedlevel = Speed of the link, as follows: 0 Auto-negotiating mode; port automatically configures for highest speed
1 1 Gbit/sec mode; fixes port at fixed speed of 1 Gbit/sec (not supported if trunking is enabled on the port) 2
Examples
2 Gbit/sec mode; fixes port at fixed speed of 2 Gbit/sec
Setting the speed for port 3 on slot 2 to 2 Gbit/sec:

switch:admin> portcfgspeed 2/3 2 done. switch:admin>
3-4
Setting the speed for port 3 on slot 2 to auto-negotiate:

switch:admin> portcfgspeed 2/3 0 done. switch:admin>
Setting Port Speeds through Web Tools

Web Tools can be used to set the speed for one or more ports on a switch. To specify the speed for one or more ports through Web Tools: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Launch Web Tools by launching the web browser and entering the switch name or IP address in the URL field. Double-click to select the switch from the navigation tree. Click the Admin button. Log into the switch as Admin. The default password is password. Select the Port Setting tab. Click the arrow in the Change Speed column and select the desired speed from the pull-down menu. See Figure 3-1. Note: 7. Trunking only supports speeds set to auto-negotiating and 2 Gbit/sec.
Click Apply. The ports are immediately set to the specified speeds.
Displaying Trunking Information

Web Tools or a telnet or serial session can be used to view information about the trunking groups that exist on the local switch.
3-5
Displaying Trunking Information through the Command Line Interface

The trunkshow command can be used to display information about trunking groups. This command provides information in the following columns:
Number of the trunking group. Port-to-port connections of the group, listed by port number (local port -> remote port). WWNs of the local ports in the group. Deskew values - the time difference for traffic to travel over each ISL as compared to the shortest ISL in the group. The number corresponds to nanoseconds divided by 10. The firmware automatically sets the minimum deskew value of the shortest ISL to 15. Whether the port is the master port for the trunking group.
To display trunking information through the CLI (telnet or serial session): 1. 2. 3. Open a CLI connection to the switch for which trunking information is desired. Log into the switch as Admin. The default password is password. Enter the trunkshow command.
Example
switch:admin> trunkshow 1: 1 -> 1 10:00:00:60:69:04:10:83 0 -> 0 10:00:00:60:69:04:10:83 2: 4 5 7 6 -> -> -> -> 4 5 7 6 10:00:00:60:69:04:01:94 10:00:00:60:69:04:01:94 10:00:00:60:69:04:01:94 10:00:00:60:69:04:01:94
deskew 16 Master deskew 15 deskew deskew deskew deskew 16 Master 15 17 16
3:14 -> 14 10:00:00:60:69:04:10:83 15 -> 15 10:00:00:60:69:04:10:83 switch:admin>
deskew 16 Master deskew 15
Displaying Trunking Information Through Web Tools

Web Tools lists each trunking group on the switch, with the master and subordinate ports for each group. To display trunking information through Web Tools: 1. 2. 3. 4. Launch the web browser and enter the switch name or IP address in the URL field. Double-click to select the switch from the navigation tree. Click the Admin button. Log into the switch as an Admin. The default password is password.
3-6
5.
Select the Trunk Information tab. See Figure 3-2.
Figure 3-2
Trunk Information Tab in the Switch Admin Window of Web Tools
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting information can be accessed through two methods: the trunkdebug command and the Error Log.
Debugging a Trunking ISL Failure

If a trunked ISL link fails debugging information is available through the CLI for use in troubleshooting and error correction. To view debugging information for a trunking ISL failure: 1. 2. 3. Open a CLI connection to the switch to be modified. Log into the switch as Admin. The default password is password. Enter the following: trunkdebug AreaNumber1, AreaNumber2 AreaNumber1 = Area number of one of the ports in the trunking group AreaNumber2 = Area number of another of the ports in the trunking group
3-7
Example
Viewing debug information for ports 3 and 5, where port 3 has not correctly configured as an E_Port:
switch:admin> trunkdebug 3 5 port 3 is not E port switch:admin>
The debug error messages are self-explanatory. For more information about this command, see trunkdebug on page A-6.
Interpreting ISL Trunking Error Messages

The two error messages that relate to ISL Trunking are described below. The error log can be accessed through the errshow and errdump commands.
Warning BLOOM-TRNK_MSTR_DWN...
This type of message indicates that the master ISL has been disconnected or has failed.
Example
Warning BLOOM-TRNK_MSTR_DWN, 3, S3, P47: Trunk master port 47 goes OFFLINE in trunk group [47 46]
In this example,
3 indicates the severity level of the error (0 = panic, 1 = critical, 2 = error, 3 = warning, 4 = info, and 5 = debug). S3 indicates the slot number. port 47 indicates the area number of the master port. [47 46] indicates the ports that are participating in the trunking group.
Recommended Action: 1. 2. If this error is displayed, determine whether the master ISL has been physically disconnected. If the master ISL has not been disconnected, enter the portlogdump and fabstateshow commands, save the output, and contact Technical Support for assistance.
Warning BLOOM-TRNK_SLV_DWN...
This type of message indicates that the subordinate ISL has been disconnected or has failed.
Example
Warning BLOOM-TRNK_SLV_DWN, 3, S3, P46: Trunk slave port 46 goes OFFLINE in trunk group [47 46]
3-8
In this example,
3 indicates the severity level of the error (0 = panic, 1 = critical, 2 = error, 3 = warning, 4 = info, and 5 = debug). S3 indicates the slot number. port 46 indicates the area number of the subordinate port. [47 46] indicates the ports that are participating in the trunking group.
Recommended Action: 1. 2. If this error is displayed, determine whether a subordinate ISL has been physically disconnected. If a subordinate ISL has not been disconnected, enter the portlogdump and fabstateshow commands, save the output, and contact Technical Support for assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions About ISL Trunking

Table 3-1 provides answers to some frequently asked questions regarding ISL Trunking. Table 3-1 Frequently Asked Questions about ISL Trunking Answer No, DWDM is a ring topology, and has a different function than trunking. If a DWDM ISL fails, the traffic is rerouted over alternate routes, changing the data path. No, the roles are different, although they may happen to apply to the same ISL. Trunking master ISL applies to the role of directing traffic over a trunking group. Principal ISL applies to an ISL that connects to the Principal Switch, which assigns domain IDs for the fabric. No; ISL Trunking is only supported for inter-switch links. No, the number of trunking groups that can be implemented on a switch are limited only by the number of available ports. Yes, if eligible ISLs exist. Trunking capability is enabled by default on each port. The traffic is redistributed over the remaining ISLs in the group.
Frequently Asked Question Does ISL Trunking replace Dense Wavelength Digital Multiplexing (DWDM)?
Is a Trunking master ISL the same as the Principal ISL?
Is it possible to create a trunk between a switch and an SAN device, such as host or storage? Is there a limit on the number of trunking groups on one switch? Are trunks automatically established when the ISL Trunking license is activated? What happens if a subordinate ISL fails?
3-9
Table 3-1
Frequently Asked Questions about ISL Trunking (Continued) Answer A new master ISL is designated and traffic is redistributed. If any in-flight frames are lost, there is a brief pause in the I/O. No; although port statistics are usually fairly evenly balanced, they can vary with payload variations at the frame level. L0 mode, which is the default mode. If the ports in the potential trunking group use any other modes, the trunking group does not form. No, trunking requires 2 Gbit/sec capacity.
Frequently Asked Question What happens if a master ISL fails?
Should port statistics be the same across all participating ISLs within a trunk? Which Extended Fabric Modes are supported?
Is trunking supported for 1 Gbit/sec?
3-10
Commands Related to ISL Trunking
ISL Trunking includes several commands that can be used to configure settings related to trunking, such as port speeds and the ability to enable and disable trunking. This appendix provides the following information:
Command List on page A-1 portcfgspeed on page A-2 portcfgtrunkport on page A-3 switchcfgspeed on page A-4 switchcfgtrunk on page A-5 trunkdebug on page A-6 trunkshow on page A-7
Command List
Table A-1 provides summary information about the commands that relate to ISL Trunking. Table A-1 Command portcfgspeed Fabric OS Commands Related to ISL Trunking Function Use to specify the port speed. Limitations Enter on the switch with the port to be configured.
portcfgtrunkport Use to enable or disable trunking for Enter on the switch with the port to be a port. configured. switchcfgspeed switchcfgtrunk trunkdebug trunkshow Use to set all ports of the switch to a particular speed. Enter on the switch to specify port speeds.
Use to enable or disable trunking for Enter on the switch to enable or disable all the ports of a switch. ISL Trunking. Use to debug a trunk link failure. Enter on the switch to debug a trunk failure.
Use to display trunking information. Enter on the switch to show ISL Trunking information.
A-1
portcfgspeed
Synopsis Availability Description portcfgspeed [slotnumber/]portnumber [speedlevel] Admin Use this command to specify the speed of a port to a particular level. After this command is issued, the port is disabled and enabled so that the port comes up with the new speed setting. The configuration is saved in the non-volatile memory and is persistent across switch reboot or power cycle. If the command is specified without an operand, you are prompted to enter the speed value. The output of the portshow command displays the current achieved speed for the port, and the portcfgshow command displays the desired speed setting for the port. Operands This command has the following operands: slotnumber portnumber speedlevel Specify the number of the port card on which the port is located. This operand is optional. Specify the port number where you want to set the speed. This operand is required. Specify the speed of a port. This operand is optional. Valid level values are one of the following: 0 1 2 Example Auto-negotiating mode. The port automatically configures for the highest speed. 1 Gbit/sec mode. The port will be at fixed speed of 1 Gbit/sec. 2 Gbit/sec mode. The port will be at fixed speed of 2 Gbit/sec.
To specify the speed of port 3 on the port card in slot 2 to 2 Gbit/sec:

switch:admin> portcfgspeed 2/3 2 done.
See Also
switchcfgspeed portshow
A-2
portcfgtrunkport
Synopsis Availability Description portcfgtrunkport [slotnumber/]portnumber [1|0] Admin Use this command to specify a port to be enabled or disabled for trunking. Note: Operands This command requires the ISL Trunking license.
This command has the following operands: slotnumber portnumber 1|0 Specify the number of the port card on which the port is located. This operand is optional. Specify the port number where you want to enable or disable trunking. This operand is required. Specify 1 to enable this port for trunking. Specify 0 to disable this port for trunking. This operand is required.
Example
To enable trunking for port 3 of the port card in slot 1:

switch:admin> portcfgtrunkport 1/3 1 Committing configuration...done.
See Also
switchcfgtrunk portshow portcfgshow switchshow
A-3
switchcfgspeed
Synopsis Availability Description switchcfgspeed [speedlevel] Admin Use this command to specify the speed of all the ports on a switch at a particular level. The configuration is saved in the non-volatile memory and persists across switch reboot or power cycle. If the command is specified without an operand, you are prompted to enter the speed level value. An input of CTRL-D cancels the configuration update. The output of portshow and portcfgshow displays the speed level:

Operands
In the portshow output, the speed level is indicated as the current port speed of 1Gbps or 2Gbps. In the portcfgshow output, the speed level is indicated as 1G, 2G, or AN (Auto-Negotiate).
This command has the following operand: speedlevel Specify the speed of a port. This operand is optional. Valid values are one of the following: 0 1 2 Auto-negotiating mode. The port automatically configures for the highest speed. 1 Gbit/sec mode. The port will be at fixed speed of 1 Gbit/sec. 2 Gbit/sec mode. The port will be at fixed speed of 2 Gbit/sec.
If the command is specified without an operand, you are prompted to enter a value. Example To set the speed level for all ports on a switch to 2 Gbit/sec:
See Also
portcfgspeed switchshow
A-4
switchcfgtrunk
Synopsis Availability Description switchcfgtrunk 0|1 Admin Use this command to enable or disable trunking on all the ports of a switch. Note: Operands This command requires the ISL Trunking license.
This command has the following required operand: 0|1 Specify 1 to enable trunking on all the ports on this switch. Specify 0 to disable trunking on all the ports on this switch.
Example
To enable trunking on a switch:

switch:admin> switchcfgtrunk 1 Committing configuration...done.
See Also
portcfgtrunkport portshow portcfgshow switchshow
A-5
trunkdebug
Synopsis Availability Description trunkdebug AreaNumber1, AreaNumber2 Admin Use this command to debug a trunk link failure. This command reports one of the following messages based on the trunking properties of the two specified ports:

Operands
Switch doesnt support trunking Trunking license required Trunking is not supported in switch interop mode port<port_id> is not E_Port port<port_id> trunking disabled port<port_id> speed is not 2G port<port_id> and port<port_id> are not on same quad port<port_id> and port<port_id> connect to different switches port<port_id> is not trunking port due to: E_Port being disabled, or trunking may be disabled at remote port port<port_id> and port<port_id> can't trunk, please check ISL length to make sure difference is less than 400 meters
This command has the following operands: AreaNumber1 Specify the area number of port 1 (0-63). This operand is required. AreaNumber2 Specify the area number of port 2 (0-63). This operand is required. Area number is an alternate designation to slot/port; ports are numbered beginning with the bottom port in the left most slot (when facing the port side of the chassis), up each card then continuing at the bottom of the next card, and ending with the port at the top of the right most slot. For the SilkWorm 12000, area numbers range from 0 to 63 for each logical switch; if a slot is empty, the numbers that would be assigned to that card are skipped.
Example
To debug a trunk connection:

switch:admin> trunkdebug 43 44 Switch doesnt support trunking.
See Also
trunkshow portcfgtrunkport switchcfgtrunk
A-6
trunkshow
Synopsis Availability Description trunkshow All users Use this command to display trunking information. The fields displayed are as follows: Trunking Group Number Displays each trunking group on a switch. All the ports that are part of this trunking group are displayed. Port to port connections Displays the port to port trunking connections. WWN deskew Displays the WWN of the connected port. Displays the time difference for traffic to travel over the indicated ISL as compared to the shortest ISL in the group. The number corresponds to nanoseconds divided by 10. The firmware automatically sets the minimum deskew value of the shortest ISL to 15. Displays whether this trunking port connection is the master port connection for the trunking group.
Master Operands Example
None. To display trunking information for a switch:

switch:admin> trunkshow 1: 1 -> 1 10:00:00:60:69:04:10:83 0 -> 0 10:00:00:60:69:04:10:83 2: 4 5 7 6 -> -> -> -> 4 5 7 6 10:00:00:60:69:04:01:94 10:00:00:60:69:04:01:94 10:00:00:60:69:04:01:94 10:00:00:60:69:04:01:94 10:00:00:60:69:04:10:83 10:00:00:60:69:04:10:83
deskew 15 Master deskew 15 deskew deskew deskew deskew 16 Master 15 17 16
3:14 -> 14 15 -> 15
deskew 16 Master deskew 15
See Also
portcfgtrunkport switchcfgtrunk
A-7
A-8
Index
C
commands about A-1 portcfgspeed A-2 portcfgtrunkport A-3 switchcfgspeed A-4 switchcfgtrunk A-5 trunkdebug A-6 trunkshow A-7 urouteconfig 1-2 core/edge topology 2-3
G
groups, trunking
1-2
I
in-order delivery ISL link failure 1-3 master ISL 1-3 subordinate ISL
1-2
1-3
D
debugging
L
3-7 2-3
latency 1-2 link failure master ISL 1-3 subordinate ISL 1-3 LWL support for 1-1 trunking with SWL 2-4
designing fabric for trunking deskew values about 1-2 displaying 3-6 disabling trunking 3-1 DWDM
3-9
E
enabling trunking
M
3-1 3-8
managing ISL Trunking supported tools 3-1 master ISL 1-3 port 1-3
error messages, interpreting
F
fabric, designing for trunking
2-3
3-9 FSPF 1-2

FAQs
P
port enabling or disabling for trunking 3-1 specifying speed 3-3 portcfgspeed command A-2 portcfgtrunkport command A-3
Index-1
principal ISL
3-9
W
WWNs, port 3-6
R
routing
1-2
S
speed, port specifying 3-3 static routes 1-2 statistics, port
3-10 A-5
switchcfgspeed command A-4 switchcfgtrunk command SWL support for 1-1 trunking with LWL
2-4
T
traffic patterns evaluating 2-4 planning for 2-3 traffic, routing of 1-2 troubleshooting error log 3-7 trunkdebug command 3-7 trunkdebug command A-6 trunking debugging 3-7 disabling 3-1 displaying information 3-5 enabling 3-1 groups, about 1-2 ISLs 1-3 ports 1-3 trunkshow command A-7
U
urouteconfig command
1-2
Index-2

Brocade ISL Trunking: User's Guide Version 3.1.0 / 4.1.0

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Brocade ISL Trunking

Users Guide Version 3.1.0 / 4.1.0

Publication Number 53-0000520-02 Publication Date: 04/25/03

Brocade Communications Systems, Incorporated

Brocade ISL Trunking Users Guide Version 3.1.0 / 4.1.0 53-0000520-02

Introducing ISL Trunking

Setting Up ISL Trunking in a Fabric

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Managing ISL Trunking

Appendix A Commands Related to ISL Trunking

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Whats New in This Book

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Notes, Cautions, and Warnings

A caution alerts you to potential damage to hardware, firmware, software, or data.

A warning alerts you to potential danger to personnel.

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Additional Resource Information

ISL Trunking Users Guide

How to Get Technical Support

Worldwide Name (WWN)

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Introducing ISL Trunking

How ISL Trunking Works

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Introducing ISL Trunking

Distribution of Traffic Over an ISL Trunking Group

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Introducing ISL Trunking

Port Groupings on a SilkWorm 3200

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Introducing ISL Trunking

Quad and Port Groupings of a SilkWorm 3800

Quad and Port Groupings of a SilkWorm 3900

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Introducing ISL Trunking

Port Groupings on the Port Card of a SilkWorm 12000

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Introducing ISL Trunking

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Setting Up ISL Trunking in a Fabric

Verify Activated Licenses

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Setting Up ISL Trunking in a Fabric

Implementing Trunking in the Fabric

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Setting Up ISL Trunking in a Fabric

Designing the Fabric to Optimize Use of ISL Trunking

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Setting Up ISL Trunking in a Fabric

Evaluating Data Traffic Patterns

Using the CLI to Gather Traffic Data

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Setting Up ISL Trunking in a Fabric

Using Performance Monitoring to Gather Traffic Data

Using Fabric Watch to Gather Traffic Data

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Setting Up ISL Trunking in a Fabric

ISL Trunking Users Guide

Managing ISL Trunking

Enabling and Disabling Trunking

Enabling and Disabling Trunking Through the Command Line Interface