Creating FICON VSANs (enabling FICON) Using Fabric Manager

The VSAN that is created here does not need to be a new VSAN. It is a new FICON VSAN. When a new FICON VSAN is created, static (insistent) domain IDs, in-order delivery, and fabric binding must be enabled so the FICON VSAN can operate. When you enable the FICON feature in Cisco MDS switches, the following apply:

If you specify an existing VSAN with operational traffic to be used for the FICON VSAN, the traffic will be disrupted. In this case, a warning message is displayed before you create the FICON VSAN.

To create a FICON VSAN using Fabric Manager, perform this procedure:

  1. From Fabric Manager, right click on All VSANs in the Logical pane, and click Create VSAN.

    The Create VSAN dialog is displayed.

  2. Select the switches you want to be in the VSAN.
  3. Enter a VSAN ID.
  4. Enter the name of the VSAN, if desired.
  5. Select the type of Load Balancing, the Interop Value, and the Admin State you would like.
  6. If this is to be a FICON VSAN, check the FICON checkbox.
  7. To enable fabric binding for the selected switches, check that checkbox.
  8. Click Create to create the new VSAN, or click Close to close the dialog without creating the VSAN.
  9. Open Device Manager for each switch in the VSAN.
  10. Select VSANs from the FICON menu. The FICON VSANs dialog is displayed.
  11. Enter the VSAN membership information.