What are the main steps when configuring a storage-area network (SAN) switch?

Determining the steps in a storage-area network (SAN) switch configuration depends on whether you are building a new SAN fabric or adding a switch to an existing one.

If this is the first switch in the SAN fabric, it will be the principal switch. You will need to configure IP details so that you can communicate with the switch via a Web browser or a command line interface. Once this is complete you should check each port for device connectivity and then disable all switch ports to ensure that rogue devices cannot join the fabric.

When you add devices to the switch you will need to determine the required port speed and topology. Disk and host devices should normally be configured with a fabric topology, while tape devices can be either fabric or loop. Once the correct devices are added to the switch you will need to configure zones, which are groups of ports or worldwide names (WWNs) that allow devices to talk to each other. Once zones are configured, devices should be able to communicate correctly.

For more detail on this subject, listen to Steve's podcast on configuring SAN switches.