Request for Comments: 4439 V. Gaonkar
Category: Standards Track K. McCloghrie
Cisco Systems
S. Gai
Retired
March 2006
Fibre Channel Fabric Address Manager MIB
Status of This Memo
This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2006).
Abstract
This memo defines a portion of the Management Information Base (MIB)
for use with network management protocols in the Internet community.
In particular, it describes managed objects for information related
to a Fibre Channel network’s Fabric Address Manager.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ....................................................3
2. The Internet-Standard Management Framework ......................3
3. Short Overview of Fibre Channel .................................3
4. Relationship to Other MIBs ......................................4
5. MIB Overview ....................................................5
5.1. Fibre Channel Management Instance ..........................5
5.2. Switch Index ...............................................5
5.3. Fabric Index ...............................................5
5.4. The t11FamGroup Group ......................................6
5.5. The t11FamDatabaseGroup Group ..............................6
5.6. The t11FamAreaGroup Group ..................................6
5.7. The t11FamCacheGroup Group .................................6
5.8. The t11FamCommandGroup Group ...............................6
5.9. The t11FamNotificationGroup Group ..........................6
5.10. Use of RCF and BF .........................................6
6. Definitions .....................................................8
6.1. The T11-TC-MIB Module ......................................8
6.2. The T11-FC-FABRIC-ADDR-MGR-MIB Module ......................9
7. Acknowledgements ...............................................35
8. Normative References ...........................................36
9. Informative References .........................................36
10. IANA Considerations ...........................................37
11. Security Considerations .......................................37
1. Introduction
This memo defines a portion of the Management Information Base (MIB)
for use with network management protocols in the Internet community.
In particular, it describes managed objects for information related
to a Fibre Channel network’s Fabric Address Manager. Fabric Address
Manager refers to the functionality of acquiring DomainID(s) as
specified in [FC-SW-3], and managing Fibre Channel Identifiers as
specified in [FC-FS].
2. The Internet-Standard Management Framework
For a detailed overview of the documents that describe the current
Internet-Standard Management Framework, please refer to section 7 of
RFC 3410 [RFC3410].
Managed objects are accessed via a virtual information store, termed
the Management Information Base or MIB. MIB objects are generally
accessed through the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).
Objects in the MIB are defined using the mechanisms defined in the
Structure of Management Information (SMI). This memo specifies a MIB
module that is compliant to the SMIv2, which is described in STD 58,
RFC 2578 [RFC2578], STD 58, RFC 2579 [RFC2579] and STD 58, RFC 2580
[RFC2580].
3. Short Overview of Fibre Channel
The Fibre Channel (FC) is logically a bidirectional point-to-point
serial data channel, structured for high performance. Fibre Channel
provides a general transport vehicle for higher-level protocols such
as Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) command sets, the High-
Performance Parallel Interface (HIPPI) data framing, IP (Internet
Protocol), IEEE 802.2, and others.
Physically, Fibre Channel is an interconnection of multiple
communication points, called N_Ports, interconnected either by a
switching network, called a Fabric, or by a point-to-point link. A
Fibre Channel "node" consists of one or more N_Ports. A Fabric may
consist of multiple Interconnect Elements, some of which are
switches. An N_Port connects to the Fabric via a port on a switch
called an F_Port. When multiple FC nodes are connected to a single
port on a switch via an "Arbitrated Loop" topology, the switch port
is called an FL_Port, and the nodes’ ports are called NL_Ports. The
term Nx_Port is used to refer to either an N_Port or an NL_Port. The
term Fx_Port is used to refer to either an F_Port or an FL_Port. A
switch port, which is interconnected to another switch port via an
Inter-Switch Link (ISL), is called an E_Port. A B_Port connects a
bridge device with an E_Port on a switch; a B_Port provides a subset
of E_Port functionality.
Many Fibre Channel components, including the Fabric, each node, and
most ports, have globally-unique names. These globally-unique names
are typically formatted as World Wide Names (WWNs). More information
on WWNs can be found in [FC-FS]. WWNs are expected to be persistent
across agent and unit resets.
Fibre Channel frames contain 24-bit address identifiers, which
identify the frame’s source and destination ports. Each FC port has
both an address identifier and a WWN. When a Fabric is in use, the
FC address identifiers are dynamically assigned by a switch. Each
octet of a 24-bit address represents a level in an address hierarchy,
with a Domain_ID being the highest level of the hierarchy.
Each switch in a Fabric is assigned one (or more) unique Domain_IDs
using a two-step process. First, one switch, called Principal
Switch, is selected from the switches of a Fabric. Then, the
Principal Switch assigns Domain_IDs to the other switches of the
Fabric. Address assignment within a domain is performed by the
switch to which that Domain_ID is granted.
4. Relationship to Other MIBs
The first standardized MIB for Fibre Channel [RFC2837] was focused on
Fibre Channel switches. It is being replaced by the more generic
Fibre Channel Management MIB [FC-MGMT], which defines basic
information for Fibre Channel hosts and switches, including
extensions to the standard IF-MIB [IF-MIB] for Fibre Channel
interfaces. [FC-MGMT] includes the specification of how the generic
objects defined in [IF-MIB] apply to Fibre Channel interfaces.
Note that an interface’s ifIndex value must be unique within an SNMP
context, irrespective of how many Fibre Channel management instances
(see below) and how many Fibre Channel switches are instrumented
within that SNMP context.
This document defines the T11-FC-FABRIC-ADDR-MGR-MIB module, which
extends beyond [FC-MGMT] to cover the functionality, in Fibre Channel
switches, which is used to manage Fabric configuration, domains, and
addresses within a domain.
This document also contains a MIB module, T11-TC-MIB, to define
textual conventions that might also be useful in other MIBs defined
by T11.
5. MIB Overview
This section explains the use of a Fibre Channel management instance,
a Switch Index, and a Fabric Index. It also describes the six MIB
groups contained in the MIB.
5.1. Fibre Channel Management Instance
A Fibre Channel management instance is defined in [FC-MGMT] as a
separable managed instance of Fibre Channel functionality. Fibre
Channel functionality may be grouped into Fibre Channel management
instances in whatever way is most convenient for the
implementation(s). For example, one such grouping accommodates a
single SNMP agent having multiple AgentX sub-agents, with each sub-
agent implementing a different Fibre Channel management instance.
The object, fcmInstanceIndex, is IMPORTed from the FC-MGMT-MIB
[FC-MGMT] as the index value to uniquely identify a Fibre Channel
management instance.
5.2. Switch Index
The FC-MGMT-MIB [FC-MGMT] defines the fcmSwitchTable as a table of
information about Fibre Channel switches that are managed by Fibre
Channel management instances. Each Fibre Channel management instance
can manage one or more Fibre Channel switches. The Switch Index,
fcmSwitchIndex, is IMPORTed from the FC-MGMT-MIB as the index value
to uniquely identify a Fibre Channel switch amongst those (one or
more) managed by the same Fibre Channel management instance.
5.3. Fabric Index
The [FC-SW-3] standard for an interconnecting Fabric consisting of
multiple Fabric Switch elements describes the operation of a single
Fabric in a physical infrastructure. The current [FC-SW-4] standard
also supports the operation of multiple Virtual Fabrics operating
within one (or more) physical infrastructures. In such a scenario,
each Fabric has, of course, its own management instrumentation. In
order to accommodate this scenario, this MIB module defines all
Fabric-related information in tables that are INDEXed by an arbitrary
integer, named a "Fabric Index". In a Fabric that is conformant to
[FC-SW-3], the value of this Fabric Index will always be 1.
It is quite possible, and may even become likely, that (a port of) a
Fibre Channel switch will be connected to multiple such Fabrics.
Thus, in order to simplify a query concerning all the Fabrics to
which a single switch is connected, fcmSwitchIndex will be listed
before t11FamFabricIndex when they both appear in the same INDEX
clause.
5.4. The t11FamGroup Group
This group contains basic information about the Fabric Address
Manager functionality within a switch, including its configuration
parameters that are per-interface (i.e., specified for a particular
Fibre Channel interface identified by an ifIndex value).
5.5. The t11FamDatabaseGroup Group
This group contains information about which switches are assigned to
which domains.
5.6. The t11FamAreaGroup Group
This group contains information about which Port-IDs have been
assigned within the areas of the local domain.
5.7. The t11FamCacheGroup Group
This conditional mandatory group contains information about all the
FC address identifier assignments that have been recently released.
This cache is kept to support the concept of Preferred Domain_ID via
a best-effort attempt for (short-term) re-assignment of the same FC
address identifiers.
5.8. The t11FamCommandGroup Group
This optional group contains objects used for initiating an operation
on a Fabric.
5.9. The t11FamNotificationGroup Group
This group contains notifications of significant events concerning
the Fabric Address management functionality within a switch.
5.10. Use of RCF and BF
Included in [FC-SW-3] is the specification of Reconfigure Fabric
(RCF) and Build Fabric (BF), both of which are command codes of the
Switch Fabric Internal Link Service (SW_ILS). [FC-SW-3] includes the
warning:
NOTE 13 - Since the RCF causes a complete reconfiguration of the
Fabric, and may cause addresses allocated to a Switch to change,
this SW_ILS should be used with caution. The BF SW_ILS allows the
Fabric to attempt reconfiguration without loss of or change of
address and therefore should be attempted before an RCF. Examples
of situations in which RCF may be appropriate include resolution
of overlapped Domains, or the failure of a Fabric Reconfiguration
initiated by a BF.
Further, [FC-MI] specifies:
A Fabric is prohibited from autonomously generating an RCF, but an
outside administrative function may request a switch to generate
an RCF. Such an administrative function is outside the scope of
this technical report.
The T11-FC-FABRIC-ADDR-MGR-MIB defined in this document is consistent
with both of the above quotes since it defines two objects,
t11FamAutoReconfigure and t11FamRestart, which are defined with a
MAX-ACCESS of read-write, and setting them to the appropriate value
is a means by which "an outside administrative function may request a
switch to generate an RCF" [FC-MI].
Note, however, the MIB specifies in its compliance section that the
minimum required level of support for these two objects is read-only.
Further, for both t11FamAutoReconfigure and t11FamRestart, the MIB
serves only as a request to generate; it does not represent the
action of the RCF or BF. That is, a successful SNMP SetRequest on
these objects will cause an RCF (or BF) to be sent, but SNMP does
not/cannot ensure the successful operation of the SW_ILS operation.
6. Definitions
6.1. The T11-TC-MIB Module
T11-TC-MIB DEFINITIONS ::= BEGIN
IMPORTS
MODULE-IDENTITY, Unsigned32, mib-2
FROM SNMPv2-SMI -- [RFC2578]
TEXTUAL-CONVENTION FROM SNMPv2-TC; -- [RFC2579]
t11TcMIB MODULE-IDENTITY
LAST-UPDATED "200603020000Z"
ORGANIZATION "T11"
CONTACT-INFO
" Claudio DeSanti
Cisco Systems, Inc.
170 West Tasman Drive
San Jose, CA 95134 USA
Phone: +1 408 853-9172
EMail: cds@cisco.com
Keith McCloghrie
Cisco Systems, Inc.
170 West Tasman Drive
San Jose, CA USA 95134
Phone: +1 408-526-5260
EMail: kzm@cisco.com"
DESCRIPTION
"This module defines textual conventions used in T11 MIBs.
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2006). This version
of this MIB module is part of RFC 4439; see the RFC
itself for full legal notices."
REVISION "200603020000Z"
DESCRIPTION
"Initial version of this MIB module, published as RFC 4439."
::= { mib-2 136 }
T11FabricIndex ::= TEXTUAL-CONVENTION
DISPLAY-HINT "d"
STATUS current
DESCRIPTION
"A Fabric Index that is used as a unique
index value to identify a particular Fabric within
one (or more) physical infrastructures.
In an environment that is conformant to FC-SW-3, where
there is always exactly one Fabric in a single physical
infrastructure, the value of this Fabric Index will
always be 1.
However, the current standard, FC-SW-4, defines
how multiple Fabrics, each with its own management
instrumentation, could operate within one (or more)
physical infrastructures. When such multiple Fabrics
are in use, this index value is used to uniquely
identify a particular Fabric within a physical
infrastructure.
Note that the value of this textual convention has a
range of (0..4095) so as to be consistent with FC-SW-4,
which says that a ’VF_ID Bitmap’ is 512 bytes long, with
the high-order bit representing VF_ID zero, and the
low-order bit representing 4095."
REFERENCE "Fibre Channel - Switch Fabric - 4 (FC-SW-4),
ANSI INCITS 418-2006, section 6.1.27.2.4."
SYNTAX Unsigned32 (0..4095)
END
6.2. The T11-FC-FABRIC-ADDR-MGR-MIB Module
T11-FC-FABRIC-ADDR-MGR-MIB DEFINITIONS ::= BEGIN
-- the Fibre Channel Fabric Address Manager MIB
--
-- for management of the functionality, in Fibre Channel switches,
-- which is used to manage fabric configuration, domains, and
-- addresses within a domain.
--
IMPORTS
MODULE-IDENTITY, OBJECT-TYPE,
NOTIFICATION-TYPE, Unsigned32,
Counter32, Gauge32, mib-2 FROM SNMPv2-SMI -- [RFC2578]
MODULE-COMPLIANCE, OBJECT-GROUP,
NOTIFICATION-GROUP FROM SNMPv2-CONF -- [RFC2580]
TEXTUAL-CONVENTION, TruthValue,
RowStatus FROM SNMPv2-TC -- [RFC2579]
ifIndex FROM IF-MIB -- [IF-MIB]
fcmInstanceIndex, fcmSwitchIndex,
FcDomainIdOrZero, FcNameIdOrZero FROM FC-MGMT-MIB -- [FC-MGMT]
T11FabricIndex FROM T11-TC-MIB;
t11FcFabricAddrMgrMIB MODULE-IDENTITY
LAST-UPDATED "200603020000Z"
ORGANIZATION "T11"
CONTACT-INFO
" Claudio DeSanti
Cisco Systems, Inc.
170 West Tasman Drive
San Jose, CA 95134 USA
Phone: +1 408 853-9172
EMail: cds@cisco.com
Keith McCloghrie
Cisco Systems, Inc.
170 West Tasman Drive
San Jose, CA USA 95134
Phone: +1 408-526-5260
EMail: kzm@cisco.com"
DESCRIPTION
"The MIB module for the Fabric Address management
functionality defined by the Fibre Channel standards. For
the purposes of this MIB, Fabric Address Manager refers to
the functionality of acquiring DomainID(s) as specified in
FC-SW-3, and managing Fibre Channel Identifiers as specified
in FC-FS. An instance of ’Fabric Address Manager’ software
functionality executes in the Principal Switch, and in each
other switch.
After an agent reboot, the values of read-write objects
defined in this MIB module are implementation-dependent.
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2006). This version of
this MIB module is part of RFC 4439; see the RFC itself for
full legal notices."
REVISION "200603020000Z"
DESCRIPTION
"Initial version of this MIB module, published as RFC 4439."
::= { mib-2 137 }
t11FamNotifications OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= { t11FcFabricAddrMgrMIB 0 }
t11FamMIBObjects OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= { t11FcFabricAddrMgrMIB 1 }
t11FamMIBConformance OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= { t11FcFabricAddrMgrMIB 2 }
t11FamConfiguration OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= { t11FamMIBObjects 1 }
t11FamInfo OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= { t11FamMIBObjects 2 }
t11FamNotifyControl OBJECT IDENTIFIER ::= { t11FamMIBObjects 3 }
-- Textual Conventions
T11FamDomainPriority ::= TEXTUAL-CONVENTION
DISPLAY-HINT "d"
STATUS current
DESCRIPTION
"Priority of a switch.
The Principal Switch selection is influenced by the
priority of the switches.
Some values of importance are:
1 : The highest priority in Principal Switch
selection, which is used by the administrator
to establish which switch becomes the Principal
Switch.
255 : Indicates that the switch is not capable of
acting as a Principal Switch."
REFERENCE "Fibre Channel - Switch Fabric - 3 (FC-SW-3),
ANSI INCITS 384-2004, section 6.1.5."
SYNTAX Unsigned32 (1..255)
T11FamDomainInterfaceRole ::= TEXTUAL-CONVENTION
STATUS current
DESCRIPTION
"The ’designated’ state/role of the Inter-Switch Link (ISL)
to which an interface connects, or (if not connected)
the state of the interface:
nonPrincipal (1) - non-Principal ISL
principalUpstream (2) - Upstream Principal ISL
principalDownsteam (3) - Downstream Principal ISL
isolated (4) - interface is isolated
down (5) - interface is down
unknown (6) - state/role is unknown
"
REFERENCE "Fibre Channel - Switch Fabric - 3 (FC-SW-3),
ANSI INCITS 384-2004, Sections 3.1, 5.7,
and Figure 9."
SYNTAX INTEGER {
nonPrincipal (1),
principalUpstream (2),
principalDownsteam (3),
isolated (4),
down (5),
unknown (6)
}
T11FamState ::= TEXTUAL-CONVENTION
STATUS current
DESCRIPTION
"The state of the Fabric Address Manager, as described in
Table 86 and Figure 15 of FC-SW-3.
- ’other’ represents a switch that is in a state not
represented by any of the below enumerations.
- ’starting’ represents a switch engaged in the process
represented by the first row in Table 86.
- ’unconfigured’ represents a switch that requires
operator input before it can begin the process
represented by the first row in Table 86.
- ’principalSwitchSelection’ represents a switch engaged
in the process represented by the second row in
Table 86, but not in states F0 or F1 of Figure 15.
- ’domainIdDistribution’ represents a switch engaged in
the process represented by the third row in Table 86.
- ’buildFabricPhase’ represents a switch that is in
state F0 of Figure 15.
- ’reconfigureFabricPhase’ represents a switch that is
in state F1 of Figure 15.
- ’stable’ represents a switch that has successfully
completed the process represented by the third row in