How to set QLogic 5600 10Gb ISL ports

peterk · Could work for Apple Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 50

Hi, I am not sure if I should enable or disable Device Scan on 10Gb ISL ports of QLogic 5600. I have three units chained by XPacks. The storage (4 Chassis, each FC dual), 2 MDCs and 8 clients are connected to the first two units, the third is for clients only.
Advice please.

Thank you.

Peter

Ernesto Sanchez · Xsan Master Joined: 31 Jul 2006 Posts: 74

The ISL (10Gbps) ports do not need any configuration. Once connected to other ISL ports they automatically switch themselves to expansion (E) ports.

Cheers,
Ernesto Sanchez
Workflow Consultant

peterk · Could work for Apple Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 50

dan-o-matic · Xsan Master Joined: 28 Sep 2006 Posts: 117

You do want to set the switch domain ID number to something manual and different for all three and then check the Domain ID Lock thing to make sure that the three switches together keep playing nice if one of them reboots or something like that.

peterk · Could work for Apple Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 50

MattG · Xsan Master Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 456

I recently went back to a colleague at Qlogic and brought up the whole Device Scan issue. He told me what I had suspected all along. Disabling Device Scan on any port, in any scenario, was a fallacy invented and spread by the Xsan community at large. It never fixes anything.

I myself am responsible for spreading the disease. There was even a question on it in the Xsan for Pro Video exam.

While I/O Streamguard still remains a setting that needs to be manually set for most iniator (computer) HBAs, device scan should always be on for every port. Really. Qlogic said so, and I believe them.