Q-Logic 59048-02 A manual Aliases, Zone Sets, Zoning Database

3 – Managing Fabrics Zoning a Fabric

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3.4.1.2

Aliases

To make it easier to add a group of ports or devices to one or more zones, you can create an alias. An alias is a named set of ports or devices that are grouped together for convenience. Unlike zones, aliases impose no communication restrictions between its members. You can add an alias to one or more zones. However, you cannot add a zone to an alias, nor can an alias be a member of another alias.

3.4.1.3

Zone Sets

A zone set is a named group of zones. A zone can be a member of more than one zone set. All zones that are not members of a zone set belong to the orphan zone set. The orphan zone set is saved on the switch. 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 4-10for information about displaying the zoning database.

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 3-13for information about displaying the active zone set.

3.4.1.4

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 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 zoning limits for a fabric are as follows:

„Maximum number of zonesets is 256

„Maximum number of zones per zone set is 256

„Maximum total number of zones is 1000

„Maximum number of aliases is 256

„Maximum number of members per zone is 2000

„Maximum number of members per alias is 2000

„Maximum total number of zone and alias members is 2000

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