3–Managing Switches
Configuring a Switch
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In-band Management
In-band management is the ability to manage switches across inter-switch links
using QuickTools, SNMP, management server, or the application programming
interface. The switch comes from the factory with in-band management enabled. If
you disable in-band management on a particular switch, you can no longer
communicate with that switch by means other than a direct Ethernet or serial
connection.
Fabric Device Management Interface
Fabric Device Management Interface (FDMI) provides a means to gather and
display device information from the fabric, and allows FDMI capable devices to
register certain information with the fabric, if FDMI is enabled. QuickTools will
report any and all FDMI information reported by the entry switch, if FDMI is
enabled on the entry switch. To view FDMI data, FDMI must be enabled on the
entry switch and on all other switches in the fabric which are to report FDMI data.
FDMI is comprised of the fabric-to-device interface and the application-to-fabric
interface. The fabric-to-device interface enables a device’s management
information to be registered. The application-to-fabric interface provides the
framework by which an application obtains device information from the fabric. Use
the FDMI HBA Entry Limit text box on the Switch Properties dialog box to
configure the maximum number of adapters that can be registered with a switch. If
the number of adapters exceeds the maximum number, the FDMI information for
those adapters cannot be registered.
Use the
FDMI Enabled
option on the Switch Properties dialog box to enable or
disable FDMI. If FDMI is enabled on an HBA, the HBA forwards information about
itself to the switch when the HBA logs into the switch. If FDMI is enabled on a
switch, the switch stores the HBA information in its FDMI database. Disabling
FDMI on a switch clears the FDMI database. If you disable FDMI on a switch, then
re-enable it, you must reset the ports to cause the adapters to log in again, and
thus forward HBA information to the switch.
To view detailed FDMI information for a device, click the
Devices
tab, and click
the
(i)
in the Details column of the Devices data window. The Detailed Devices
Display dialog box displays the specific information for that device. Refer to
“Devices Data Window” on page 2-19
for more information.
