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OpenScript, and The Effortless Network are trademarks of Brocade Communications Systems, Inc., in the United States and/or in
other countries. Other brands, products, or service names mentioned may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Notice: This document is for informational purposes only and does not set forth any warranty, expressed or implied, concerning
any equipment, equipment feature, or service offered or to be offered by Brocade. Brocade reserves the right to make changes to
this document at any time, without notice, and assumes no responsibility for its use. This informational document describes
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open source license agreements. To find out which open source software is included in Brocade products, view the licensing
terms applicable to the open source software, and obtain a copy of the programming source code, please visit
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Tel: 1-408-333-8000
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Document History
Document titlePublication numberSummary of changesDate
This document is organized to help you find the information that you want as quickly and easily as
possible.
The document contains the following components:
• Chapter 1, “Brocade 6520 Introduction” provides an overview of the Brocade 6520 switch, a
feature list, and a look at the appearance of the switch.
• Chapter 2, “Brocade 6520 Installation and Configuration” provides the information needed to
install the switch into your network.
• Chapter 3, “Brocade 6520 Operation” discusses the day-to-day operational procedures for
using the switch.
• Chapter 4, “Removal and Replacement of Power Supplies and Fans” provides procedures for
removing and replacing the field-replaceable units (FRUs).
• Appendix A, “Brocade 6520 Specifications” provides tables of physical, environmental, and
general specifications, helpful for quick lookup.
• Appendix B, “Caution and Danger Notices” contains a list of the translated Caution and Danger
messages.
Supported hardware and software
Although many different software and hardware configurations are tested and supported by
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. for Fabric OS 7.1.0, documenting all possible
configurations and scenarios is beyond the scope of this document.
This document includes information specific to the Brocade 6520 running Brocade Fabric OS
version 7.1.0. and later.
What’s new in this document
• The port group illustration has been added. Refer to “Brocade ISL Trunking.”
• The number of ports on which in-flight data compression and encryption can occur has been
updated. Refer to “Brocade 6520 features and capabilities.”
Document conventions
This section describes text formatting conventions and important notice formats used in this
document.
Text formatting
The narrative-text formatting conventions that are used in this document are as follows:
bold textIdentifies command names
Identifies GUI elements
Identifies keywords and operands
Identifies text to enter at the GUI or CLI
italic textProvides emphasis
Identifies variables
Identifies paths and Internet addresses
Identifies document titles
code textIdentifies CLI output
Identifies syntax examples
For readability, command names in the narrative portions of this guide are presented in mixed
lettercase: for example, switchShow. In actual examples, command lettercase is often all
lowercase. Otherwise, this manual specifically notes those cases in which a command is
case-sensitive.
Command syntax conventions
Command syntax in this manual follows these conventions:
commandCommands are printed in bold.
--option, optionCommand options are printed in bold.
-argument, argArguments.
[ ]Optional element.
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NOTE
ATTENTION
CAUTION
DANGER
variableVariables are printed in italics. In the help pages, values are underlined
enclosed in angled brackets < >.
...Repeat the previous element, for example “member[;member...]”
valueFixed values following arguments are printed in plain font. For example,
--show WWN
or
|Boolean. Elements are exclusive. Example:
--show -mode egress | ingress
Command examples
This book describes how to perform configuration tasks using the Fabric OS command line
interface, but does not describe the commands in detail. For complete descriptions of all Fabric OS
commands, including syntax, operand description, and sample output, refer to the Fabric OS Command Reference.
Notes, cautions, and warnings
The following notices and statements are used in this manual. They are listed here in order of
increasing severity of potential hazards.
A note provides a tip, guidance, or advice, emphasizes important information, or provides a
reference to related information.
An Attention statement indicates potential damage to hardware or data.
A Caution statement alerts you to situations that can be potentially hazardous to you or cause
damage to hardware, firmware, software, or data.
A Danger statement indicates conditions or situations that can be potentially lethal or extremely
hazardous to you. Safety labels are also attached directly to products to warn of these conditions
or situations.
For definitions specific to Brocade and Fibre Channel, see the technical glossaries on MyBrocade.
Refer to “Brocade resources” on page x for instructions on accessing MyBrocade.
For definitions of SAN-specific terms, visit the Storage Networking Industry Association online
dictionary at:
http://www.snia.org/education/dictionary
Notice to the reader
This document may contain references to the trademarks of the following corporations. These
trademarks are the properties of their respective companies and corporations.
These references are made for informational purposes only.
CorporationReferenced trademarks and products
Microsoft CorporationWindows, Windows NT, Internet Explorer
Oracle CorporationOracle, Java
Netscape Communications CorporationNetscape
Red Hat, Inc.Red Hat, Red Hat Network, Maximum RPM, Linux Undercover
Velcro Industries B.V.Velcro
Additional information
This section lists additional Brocade and industry-specific documentation that you might find
helpful.
Brocade resources
To get up-to-the-minute information, go to http://my.brocade.com to register at no cost for a user ID
and password.
White papers, online demonstrations, and data sheets are available through the Brocade website
at:
For additional Brocade documentation, visit the Brocade website:
http://www.brocade.com
Release notes are available on the MyBrocade website and are also bundled with the Fabric OS
firmware.
xBrocade 6520 Hardware Reference Manual
53-1002705-02
Other industry resources
For additional resource information, visit the Technical Committee T11 website. This website
provides interface standards for high-performance and mass storage applications for Fibre
Channel, storage management, and other applications:
http://www.t11.org
For information about the Fibre Channel industry, visit the Fibre Channel Industry Association
website:
http://www.fibrechannel.org
For information about the Ethernet industry, visit the Internet Engineering Task Force website:
http://www.ietf.org
Getting technical help
Contact your switch support supplier for hardware, firmware, and software support, including
product repairs and part ordering. To expedite your call, have the following information available:
1. General Information
• Switch model
• Switch operating system version
• Error numbers and messages received
• supportSave command output
• Detailed description of the problem, including the switch or fabric behavior immediately
following the problem, and specific questions
• Description of any troubleshooting steps already performed and the results
• Serial console and Telnet session logs
• Syslog message logs
2. Switch Serial Number
The switch serial number and corresponding bar code are provided on the serial number label,
as illustrated below.:
The serial number label is located on the switch ID pull-out tab located inside the chassis on
the port side on the left.
If you cannot use the wwn command because the switch is inoperable, you can get the WWN
from the same place as the serial number.
Document feedback
Quality is our first concern at Brocade and we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy and
completeness of this document. However, if you find an error or an omission, or you think that a
topic needs further development, we want to hear from you. Forward your feedback to:
documentation@brocade.com
Provide the title and version number of the document and as much detail as possible about your
comment, including the topic heading and page number and your suggestions for improvement.
The Brocade 6520 is a 96-port auto-sensing 2, 4, 8, or 16 Gbps, as well as 10 Gbps, Fibre Channel
(FC) switch that delivers the latest Brocade multi-chip architecture for Fibre Channel Storage Area
Networks (SANs). The Brocade 6520 is an enterprise-class switch that is designed to handle the
large-scale SAN requirements of an enterprise, and can also be used to address the SAN
requirements of a small to medium-sized workgroup.
The Brocade 6520 provides up to 96 ports in a double height (2U) switch that enables the creation
of very dense fabrics in a relatively small space.
1
The Brocade 6520 offers Ports on Demand (POD) licensing as well. “Base” models of the switch
contain 48 ports, and up to two additional 24-port POD licenses can be purchased to fill all 96
ports.
Port activation works through a process called Dynamic Ports on Demand (DPOD). With DPOD,
ports are licensed as they come online. For instance, if you have a base model with 48 port
licenses, the first 48 ports to come online, regardless of their numbering, are licensed. Once all the
licenses have been assigned, you can manually move those licenses from one port to another if
you choose.
The first eight ports can be configured to run at 10 Gbps with the appropriate licensing.
The Brocade 6520 supplies Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability (RAS) performance and
scalability requirements of an enterprise switch along with interoperability and ease-of-use
advantages.
The Brocade 6520 is only 24 inches deep and has airflow direction options. You can order either
port side exhaust (the default configuration) or non-port side exhaust airflow to accommodate
specific installations.
Brocade 6520 features and capabilities
The Brocade 6520 offers the following features and capabilities:
• Up to 96 auto-sensing ports of high-performance 16 Gbps technology in a single domain.
• Ports on Demand scaling from 48 to 72 or 96 ports.
• 2, 4, 8, and 16 Gbps auto-sensing Fibre Channel switch and router ports.
-2, 4, and 8 Gbps performance is enabled by 8 Gbps SFP+ transceivers.
-4, 8, and 16 Gbps performance is enabled by 16 Gbps SFP+ transceivers.
• 10 Gbps manual set capability on FC ports (requires the optional 10 Gigabit FCIP/Fibre
Channel license) on the first eight ports only.
-Ports can be configured for 10 Gbps for metro connectivity.
-10 Gbps performance is enabled by 10 Gbps Fibre Channel SFP+ transceivers.
• FC ports will self-configure as E_ports and F_ports. EX_ports can be activated on a per-port
basis with the optional Integrated Routing license.
-Mirror ports (M_ports) and diagnostic ports (D_ports) must be manually configured.
-The Brocade Diagnostic Port (D_port) feature provides physical media diagnostic,
troubleshooting, and verification services.
• In-flight data compression and encryption on up to 16 ports (up to 8 ports at 16 Gbps) provides
efficient link utilization and security.
• Options for port side exhaust (default) or non-port side exhaust airflow for cooling.
• Virtual Fabric (VF) support to improve isolation between different VFs.
• Fibre Channel Routing (FCR) service, available with the optional Integrated Routing license,
provides improved scalability and fault isolation.
• Inter-Switch Link (ISL) Trunking (licensable), which allows up to eight ports (at 2, 4, 8, or 16
Gbps speeds) between a pair of switches combined to form a single, logical ISL with a speed of
up to 128 Gbps (256 Gbps full duplex) for optimal bandwidth utilization and load balancing.
There is no limit to how many trunk groups can be configured.
• Dynamic Path Selection (DPS), which optimizes fabric-wide performance and load balancing by
automatically routing data to the most efficient available path in the fabric.
• Brocade-branded SFP+ optical transceivers that support any combination of Short Wavelength
(SWL) and Long Wavelength (LWL) or Extended Long Wavelength (ELWL) optical media among
the switch ports.
• Extended distance support enables native Fibre Channel extension up to 7,500 km at 2 Gbps.
• Support for unicast data traffic types.
• Brocade Fabric OS, which delivers distributed intelligence throughout the network and enables
a wide range of value-added applications including Brocade Advanced Web Tools and Brocade
Zoning. Optional Fabric Services include Adaptive Networking with QoS, Brocade Extended
Fabrics, Brocade Enhanced Group Management, Brocade Fabric Watch, ISL Trunking, and
End-to-End Advanced Performance Monitoring (APM).
• Hardware zoning is accomplished at the port level of the switch and by World Wide Name
(WWN). Hardware zoning permits or denies delivery of frames to any destination port address.
• Extensive diagnostics and system-monitoring capabilities for enhanced high Reliability,
Availability, and Serviceability (RAS).
• 10Gbps Fibre Channel integration on the same port provides for DWDM metro connectivity on
the same switch (can be done on first eight ports only with appropriate licensing).
• The Brocade EZSwitchSetup wizard that makes SAN configuration a three-step point-and-click
task.
• Real-time power monitoring enables users to monitor real-time power usage of the fabric at a
switch level.
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Port side of the Brocade 6520
1
• Local port latency minimized to 700 nanoseconds (ns) through the use of cut-through frame
routing at 16 Gbps.
• Switch latency of 2100 ns (L2 latency without forward error correction)
Brocade 6520 components
• A system motherboard that features a primary CPU running at 1.20 GHz, with integrated
peripherals.
• One 2 GB DDR2 running at 400 MHz.
• Boot memory of 8 MB.
• One 2 GB compact flash card.
• Up to 96 16 Gbps Fibre Channel ports.
• An RJ45 10/100/1000 BaseT Ethernet system management port (RJ45 connector), in
conjunction with EZSwitchSetup, that supports switch IP address discovery and configuration,
eliminating the need to attach a serial cable to configure the switch IP address.
• One RS-232 console (serial) port with an RJ45 connector for initial switch setup (if not using
EZSwitchSetup) and factory default restoration.
• One USB 2.0 port that provides storage for firmware updates, output of the supportSave
command, and storage for configuration uploads and downloads.
• Two hot-swappable, 80+ Platinum certified, redundant power supplies.
• Three hot-swappable fan FRUs.
• One LED (green/amber) per FC port to indicate status.
• One LED (green) for system power.
• One LED (green/amber) for system status.
• Two Ethernet LEDs (integrated with RJ45) for speed and activity status.
• Two LEDs per power supply: one green for AC line in status and one green/amber for DC power
out.
• One LED (green/amber) per fan.
• SEEPROM for switch identification.
• Voltage monitoring.
• Fan monitoring including flow direction.
• Temperature monitoring.
• Real-time clock (RTC) with battery.
Port side of the Brocade 6520
The port side of the Brocade 6520 includes the system status LED, console port, Ethernet port and
LEDs, USB port, and Fibre Channel ports and the corresponding port status LEDs.
The following items are included with the standard shipment of a fully-configured Brocade 6520.
When you open the Brocade 6520 packaging, verify that these items are included in the package
and that no damage has occurred during shipping:
• The Brocade 6520 switch, containing two power supplies and three fans (incorporating either
non-port side exhaust or port side exhaust airflow as ordered)
• 16 Gbps, 10 Gbps, or 8 Gbps SFP+ transceivers for the Fibre Channel ports (speed and
quantity as ordered)
• One accessory kit, containing the following items:
-Serial cable with an RJ45 connector
-Ground lug kit
-Two 6 f t. power cords
-Rubber feet, required for setting up the switch as a standalone unit
You can install the Brocade 6520 switch in the following ways:
• As a standalone unit on a flat surface.
• In an EIA rack using a four-post, fixed-position rack mount kit. The rack mount kit can be
ordered from your switch retailer.
• In a two-post Telco rack using the mid-mount rack kit for switches. The mid-mount rack kit for
switches can be ordered from your switch retailer.
• In an EIA rack using a four-post sliding rail rack mount kit. The sliding rail rack mount kit mount
can be ordered from your switch retailer.
ESD precautions
The Brocade 6520 contains electrostatic discharge (ESD) sensitive FRUs. When working with any
Brocade 6520 FRU, use correct ESD procedures.
• Attach ground to the indicated area on the chassis.
• Wear a wrist grounding strap connected to chassis ground (if the Brocade 6520 is plugged in)
or a bench ground.
• Store ESD-sensitive components in antistatic packaging.
Electrical considerations
To install and operate the switch successfully, ensure the compliance with the following
requirements:
• The primary outlets are correctly wired, protected by a circuit breaker, and grounded in
accordance with local electrical codes.
• The supply circuit, line fusing, and wire size are adequate, as specified by the electrical rating
on the switch nameplate.
• The power supply standards provided in Table 1, “Power supply specifications” are met.
Power supply specifications
The power supplies are universal and capable of functioning worldwide without voltage jumpers or
switches. They meet IEC 61000-4-5 surge voltage requirements and are autoranging in terms of
accommodating input voltages and line frequencies. Each power supply has built-in fans for
cooling.
Tab le 1 lists the power supply specifications for the Brocade 6520.
For successful installation and operation of the switch, ensure that the following environmental
requirements are met:
• At a minimum, adequate cooling requires that you install the switch with the intake side, as
indicated by the airflow direction of the fan assemblies, facing the cool-air aisle.
The chassisshow output indicates “Reverse” for non-port side intake and “Forward” for port
side intake.
• All equipment in the rack should force air in the same direction to avoid intake of exhaust air.
• Airflow requirements outlined in Tabl e 5 must be met. Note that the requirements differ based
on the direction of the airflow.
• The ambient air temperature does not exceed 40° C (104° F) while the switch is operating.
Tab le 5 lists the acceptable environmental ranges for both operating and nonoperating (such as
during transportation or storage) conditions.
TABLE 5Environmental requirements
ConditionAcceptable during operationAcceptable during non-operation
Ambient
temperature
Humidity10% to 85% RH non-condensing, at
Altitude0 to 3 km (9,842 feet) above sea level0 to 12 km (39,370 feet) above sea level
1706.1 BTU/hr (fully populated port
configuration)
(158ºF)
N/A
N/A
Rack considerations
For successful installation and operation of the switch in a rack, ensure the following rack
requirements are met:
• The rack must be a standard EIA rack.
• A rack space that is two rack units (2U) high; 8.90 cm (3.50 inches) high and 48.3 cm (19
inches) wide.
• There are three rack kit options that accommodate the Brocade 6520, a four-post fixed rack
kit, a two-post Telco rack kit, and a four-post sliding rail rack kit. See their respective
installation manuals for details.
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Installation and safety considerations
NOTE
2
• The equipment in the rack is grounded through a reliable branch circuit connection and
maintains ground at all times. Do not rely on a secondary connection to a branch circuit, such
as a power strip.
• Airflow and temperature requirements are met on an ongoing basis, particularly if the switch is
installed in a closed or multirack assembly.
• The additional weight of the switch does not exceed the rack’s weight limits or unbalance the
rack in any way.
• The rack is secured to ensure stability in case of unexpected movement, such as an
earthquake.
Recommendations for cable management
The minimum bend radius for a 50 micron cable is 2 inches under full tensile load and 1.2 inches
with no tensile load.
Cables can be organized and managed in a variety of ways; for example, using cable channels on
the sides of the rack or patch panels to reduce potential tangling of the cables. The following list
proveides some recommendations for cable management:
You should not use tie wraps with optical cables because they are easily overtightened and can
damage the optic fibers.
• Plan for rack space required for cable management before installing the switch.
• Leave at least 1 m (3.28 ft) of slack for each port cable. This provides room to remove and
replace the switch, allows for inadvertent movement of the rack, and helps prevent the cables
from being bent to less than the minimum bend radius.
• If you are using Brocade ISL Trunking, consider grouping cables by trunking groups. The cables
used in trunking groups must meet specific requirements, as described in the Fabric OS Administrator’s Guide.
• For easier maintenance, label the fiber-optic cables and record the devices to which they are
connected.
• Keep LEDs visible by routing port cables and other cables away from the LEDs.
• Use Velcro-style straps to secure and organize fiber-optic cables.
Items required for installation
The following items are required for installing, configuring, and connecting the Brocade 6520 for
use in a network and fabric:
• Workstation with an installed terminal emulator, such as HyperTerminal
• Unused IP address and corresponding subnet mask and gateway address
• Items from the accessory kit that accompanies the switch
• Ethernet cable
• Brocade-branded SFP+s transceivers and compatible cables (Brocade-branded 16 Gbps
SFP+s transceivers required for 16 Gbps performance), as required
• Access to an FTP server or USB device for backing up the switch configuration (optional)