INRANGE 9000 specific checks

The primary method of interfacing with the INRANGE 9000 is through an Ethernet-connected host running the INRANGE Virtual Storage Network

Enterprise Manager (IN-VSN). The IN-VSN is a browser-based application used to manage and control one or more INRANGE Directors. The IN-VSN suite consists of two components:

򐂰 Server software

򐂰 Client software

The server software communicates with the INRANGE Director, while the IN-VSN client software communicates with the IN-VSN server. All user interface is performed by the client software.

The IN-VSN management software capabilities include:

򐂰 Defining module and port configurations

򐂰 Defining zoning parameters

򐂰 Invoking system diagnostics

Another method for working with the director is via serial debug port on the FCM board. However, many of the available options are only for qualified Field Service Technicians. With this limitation in mind, we do not describe or make use of this access method. We will limit our material to working with the IN-VSN application.

When checking a switch, the first quick troubleshooting action is to take is to check the status of ports with connections to other devices. These connections are for both edge devices and other fabric units. For the INRANGE 9000 Enterprise Director, each port has two LEDs: green and amber. Refer to

Figure 4-26 on page 178 for the locations of the LEDs for each port. Table 4-5 on page 178 lists the LED indicators for normal port operations.

Note: A number of the initial installation parameters are accessible to a Customer Engineer only. Based on this limitation, there are several

restrictions as to the type and degree of troubleshooting that you can utilize on the INRANGE 9000 Fibre Channel Director. We account for these restrictions with the following descriptions and problem determination methods. Further, we use the assumption that the IN-VSN server and client applications are running correctly and communicating with each other and the Director properly over the LAN.

Figure 4-26 INRANGE 9000 port status LEDs

Table 4-5 Normal port indicator conditions for INRANGE 9000

If one or more ports on the switch have visual indications of problems, then check the device’s port condition at the other end of the connection. The nature of the problem may be better defined when the conditions at both ends of the link are known. If both ends indicate a problem, then there may be a fault with the physical cabling and/or a logical connection problem.

Green LED Amber LED Port status

On Off Link established, no traffic On On/Flicker Link established, traffic passing

Possible causes of physical connectivity problems with the port include:

򐂰 Loose connection of fiber cable into the port

Make sure that the fiber cable is securely plugged into the port. If it is not, the fiber cable can be misaligned in the connector. This misalignment can reduce the signal significantly to the point that no light is detected.

򐂰 Transmit and receive lines of end ports are not correctly connected.

The transmitter at one end of a fiber cable run should be connected to the receiver at the other end. Refer to Figure 4-11 on page 134 for proper orientation. A quick method for testing for this condition is to swap the individual connectors at one end of the fiber cable. If a physical connection is not established, then the problem has a different cause.

򐂰 High signal loss between end ports of a connection

This situation can be prevalent in SAN environments with patch panels, or where the fiber cable is physically damaged. With some devices use a loopback tool to wrap the port on itself. This test should cause a change in the port status indicators if there is a faulty fiber cable.

򐂰 Fibre Channel port is faulty

A faulty port can be difficult to test. There are advanced diagnostics that can be implemented, but these test routines are usually disruptive to the SAN. A much easier test is to use a fiber cable from another established connection.

The test simply consists of swapping the good fiber connection with the suspect fiber connection. If the suspect port’s status indicators do not change, then the reader will need to proceed with further troubleshooting actions.

For problems that are not due to a physical cabling issue, the reader will need to continue with troubleshooting methods previously outlined. The following material is presented to assist the reader with specific actions and methods for the INRANGE FC/9000 Fibre Channel Director.

After visual inspection of the port LEDs, check the port status by using the client’s GUI interface. While the LED indicator may indicate an established connection, the type of connection (for example, T_Port or F_Port) is not known.

To view the status of the ports, from the main window of the IN-VSN client, select Fabric from the Navigation Tree. This action displays a list of the user-defined

Note: The following procedures will be making use of the IN-VSN application.

We assume that the client is able to communicate with the server while the server is communicating with any INRANGE switches in the SAN fabric.

fabrics. Select the desired fabric name in the Navigation Tree to display the directors within that fabric. Next, select the director for the problem determination process. This action will open the general view of the director. This display is the default view, and is shown in Figure 4-27.

Figure 4-27 Default general view of a director

A method to quickly view the status of all ports is to select the Port tab (refer to Figure 4-28 on page 181). This view provides the following information for all ports of the switch:

򐂰 Port status (as in Offline or Online)

򐂰 WWN of any attached device and its alias

򐂰 Information about various zones (Name Server, Broadcast, or Hardware) that contain the ports

Figure 4-28 Example view of checking port states and connected devices

One major drawback of this view is the lack of information about the type of connection (T_Port or F_Port) for the ports. However, this information can be viewed by using the Navigation Tree. Select the appropriate Fibre Channel I/O module (FIO) in the director and then select the desired port for a detailed information display. Refer to Figure 4-29 on page 182.

The information that is displayed from this panel includes:

򐂰 Current connection type of port

򐂰 Administrative and operational status

򐂰 Fibre Channel address

򐂰 Statistical information about the traffic in tabular and graphical formats

Figure 4-29 Checking status of a specific port with performance charting

Using the Ports view and additional data about specific ports, you can confirm the connectivity from the director to any SAN device attached to the director.

At this point, if the problem has not yet been identified, there may still be some suspicion of the SAN fabric. Even though the ports with fabric interconnects were found to be operational and have the proper setting, there are other functions within the fabric that should be checked. The first of these is the interconnections with other switches within the fabric. To check this item display a graphical listing of all of the devices in the fabric.

The IN-VSN client GUI provides a very quick graphical view of inter-switch connections. From the main start point on the Navigation Tree, select Fabrics.

This action displays all fabrics that have been defined to the IN-VSN server.

Select the desired fabric for further troubleshooting. This path will display the fabric devices and the connecting links (refer to Figure 4-30 on page 183). If there are serious problems within a SAN fabric, theFabric Topology view visually