How to configure a Brocade switch as an Access Gateway – step by step

How to configure  a Brocade switch as an Access Gateway – step by step

Configuring a Brocade switch as an access gateway  is a two step process, first enable the NPIV capabilities on the uplink switch ports by executing steps 1 to 4 and then configure Brocade switch in Access Gateway mode.

In the example below, the we have two switches – “core-sw” which is the core switch where the access gateway will be hooked up and “edge-sw” which is actually being reconfigured as access gateway.

1. Login to the uplink switch where the Access Gateway will be connected.

2. Identify the ports for uplink and verify whether the ports are NPIV capable. “NPIV capability” must be set to “ON” for the identified ports. If not proceed to step 3 otherwise step 4.

core-sw# portcfgshow 

3. Enable NPIV capability for the identified ports. For example port 7 and 15

core-sw#  portcfgnpivport 7  1

core-sw#  portcfgnpivport 15 1

core-sw#  portcfgshow

4. Disable these ports temporarily

core-sw#  portdisable 7

core-sw#  portdisable 15

5. Login to the Brocade switch that need to be configured as AG

6. Disable the switch

edge-sw#  switchdisable

7. Clear any configuration that may exist in the switch

edge-sw#   cfgclear; cfgsave

8. Check the firmware version on the switch. If it is lower than 5.3.1a, upgrade before proceeding

edge-sw#   firmwareshow

9. Enable Access Gateway Mode on the switch. The switch will reboot automatically and come back in access gateway mode.

edge-sw#   ag --modeenable

10. Verify the mode of the switch. This will display the configured switch mode, ie, Access gateway mode enabled or disabled.

c-class-gw#   ag --modeshow

c-class-gw#    switchshow

11. Name the Access Gateway. Follow the standard naming convention. Eg: aga00, agb00

c-class-gw#   switchname aga00

12. List the current F port to NPIV mapping. This is required to delete and remap the ports as per BL standards.

c-class-gw#   ag --mapshow  # list the current mapping

13. Delete the current mapping by executing ag --mapdel port each NPIV port -0 and 17 – 23. Replace the port numbers below using the output from the command above.

c-class-gw#    ag --mapdel 0 “1;3”

c-class-gw#    ag --mapdel 17 “2;4”

c-class-gw#    ag --mapdel 18 “5;6” # repeat this for all NPIV ports

14. Verify the mapping list is empty.

c-class-gw#    ag --mapshow

15. Remap as per BL standards. All odd numbered ports to one NPIV port and the even numbered to another

c-class-gw#    ag --mapset 17 “1;3;5;7;9;11;13;15”

c-class-gw#    ag --mapset 18 “2;4;6;8;10;12;14;16”

16. Verify the mapping

c-class-gw#    ag --mapshow

17. Attach port 17 and 18 to the uplink switch, if not done already
18. Enable the ports on the uplink switch, from step 4

core-sw#   portenable 7

core-sw#   portenable 15

19. Verify the AGs are logged in to the fabric. The port will come up as NPIV if there are AGs have configured devices, otherwise the WWN of the port will be displayed.

core-sw#   switchshow

20. To view the WWN of the server switch, execute portshow on the NPIV devices. The WWN of the server switch will come up in the NS as well.

core-sw#   portshow 7

core-sw#  portshow 15

21. Proceed with the zoning operation as per standards

22. Access Gateway configuration complete