Chapter 1. IBM Flex System FC3171 8 Gb SAN Switch - QLogic

Zone sets
A zone set is a named group of zones. A zone can be a member of more than one
zone set. Each switch in the fabric maintains its own zoning database containing
one or more zone sets. This zoning database resides in non-volatile or permanent
memory and is therefore retained after a reset. Refer to “Configured Zonesets data
window” on page 3-25 for information about displaying the zoning database.
Notes:
Zones that are currently not in a zone set are considered to be part of the “orphan
zone set.” The orphan zone set is not an actual zone set, but rather a way of
displaying the zones that are not currently in a zone set.
To apply zoning to a fabric, choose a zone set and activate it. When you activate a
zone set, the switch distributes that zone set and its zones, excluding aliases, to
every switch in the fabric. This zone set is known as the active zone set. Refer to
“Active Zone Set Data window” on page 3-24 for information about displaying the
active zone set.
Zoning database
Each switch has its own zoning database. The zoning database is made up of all
aliases, zones, and zone sets that have been created on the switch or received from
other switches. The switch maintains two copies of the inactive zoning database:
one copy is maintained in temporary memory for editing purposes; the second copy
is maintained in permanent memory. Zoning database edits are made on an
individual switch basis and are not propagated to other switches in the fabric when
saved.
The Merge Auto Save parameter determines whether changes to the active zone set
that a switch receives from another switch in the fabric will be saved to permanent
memory on that switch. For information about zoning configuration, see
”Configuring the zoning database” on page 3-31.
Viewing zoning limits and properties
To view zoning limits and properties on a switch, do the following:
1. Open the Zoning menu and select Edit Zoning to open the Edit Zoning dialog.
2. Choose one of the following:
• In the zone sets tree (left windowpane), right-click the top zonesets entry, a
zone set, a zone, or a zone member. In the popup menu, select Properties.
• In the zone set tree (left windowpane), select the top Zone Sets entry, a zone
set, a zone, or a zone member. Open the Edit menu and select Properties.
3. View the zoning limits and properties information in the Properties dialog.
4. Click the OK button to close the Properties dialog.
The zoning limits are:
• MaxZoneSets is 256. This limit is the maximum number of zone sets that can be
configured on the switch.
• MaxZones is 2000. This limit is the maximum number of zones that can be
configured on the switch, including orphan zones.
• MaxAliases is 2500. This limit is the maximum number of aliases that can be
configured on the switch.
Chapter 3. Managing fabrics 27