Linux Storage - MDS base configuration commands

Linux Storage Solution · Config document · referenced from Cisco MDS base configuration

The command set that took the Cisco MDS 9124e blade switch FCSwitch1 from factory state to a switch with a management address, SSH, a name, two VSANs with their interfaces, and a local host entry. It is the first of the three switch command sets; the aliases and zoning follow in FC aliases and zoning and port security in Port security.

The commands

The switch was reset to defaults first. write erase ran at the exec prompt of FCSwitch1, as admin, and asked once; the y after [n] is the answer typed.

$ write erase

Warning: This command will erase the startup-configuration.
Do you wish to proceed anyway? (y/n)  [n] y

Then reload, again at the exec prompt. After the reboot the switch ran its setup utility: it asked whether to enforce the secure password standard (the author's note above that question reads "password complexity"), asked for the admin password twice, and offered the basic configuration dialogue, which was declined with no. Everything else was then set by hand.

$ reload

This command will reboot the system. (y/n)?  [n] y
Do you want to enforce secure password standard (yes/no) [y]:

 ---- System Admin Account Setup ----

Do you want to enforce secure password standard (yes/no) [y]: y

  Enter the password for "admin": <ADMIN_PASSWORD>
  Confirm the password for "admin": <ADMIN_PASSWORD>

---- Basic System Configuration Dialog ----

This setup utility will guide you through the basic configuration of
the system. Setup configures only enough connectivity for management
of the system.

Please register Cisco MDS 9000 Family devices promptly with your
supplier. Failure to register may affect response times for initial
service calls. MDS devices must be registered to receive entitled
support services.

Press Enter at anytime to skip a dialog. Use ctrl-c at anytime
to skip the remaining dialogs.

Would you like to enter the basic configuration dialog (yes/no): no

Set the password for the user admin. The author's comment: not strictly needed, since the password was changed by the setup wizard. The line carries the hash form (password 5) with a placeholder where the hash was, and the role network-admin. Configuration mode on FCSwitch1.

$ username admin password 5 <ADMIN_PASSWORD_HASH>  role network-admin

Set the management IP address of the FC switch and the default gateway. The address goes under interface mgmt0, the gateway is a global command; configuration mode on FCSwitch1.

$ interface mgmt0
$ ip address 10.50.10.14 255.255.255.0
$ ip default-gateway 10.50.10.254

Switch on the SSH server, configuration mode.

$ feature ssh

Set the name of the switch, configuration mode.

$ switchname FCSwitch1

Create the VSANs: the vsan database sub-mode, configuration mode on FCSwitch1.

$ vsan database
$ vsan 11 name MGMT_DC
$ vsan 12 name DMZ

Assign the physical interfaces to the VSANs, again in the vsan database sub-mode. ext1 and ext2 are the external ports towards the 3PAR, bay1 to bay5 the internal ports to the blade slots.

$ vsan database
$ vsan 11 interface ext1
$ vsan 12 interface ext2
$ vsan 11 interface bay1
$ vsan 11 interface bay2
$ vsan 12 interface bay3
$ vsan 12 interface bay4
$ vsan 11 interface bay5

Set the physical ports. The author's comment: not strictly needed, by default the ports are set to type F. Each interface line opens the interface sub-mode for the two lines after it; configuration mode on FCSwitch1.

$ interface ext1
$ switchport mode F
$ no shutdown
$ interface ext2
$ switchport mode F
$ no shutdown
$ interface bay1
$ switchport mode F
$ no shutdown
$ interface bay2
$ switchport mode F
$ no shutdown
$ interface bay3
$ switchport mode F
$ no shutdown
$ interface bay4
$ switchport mode F
$ no shutdown
$ interface bay5
$ switchport mode F
$ no shutdown

An alternative to the file /etc/hosts: local resolution of domain names. Configuration mode on FCSwitch1.

$ ip domain-lookup
$ ip host FCSwitch1 10.50.10.14

What the lines do

The explanations of what the commands do are my general understanding of NX-OS; the notes only give the step titles. What the notes do not hold: how the switch was reached for the reset (a reset removes the management address, so it was presumably the serial console or the enclosure's management path, but the notes do not say), the NX-OS version at the time of the reset, any SNMP, NTP, syslog or AAA configuration, and the whole of the second switch.

Checked against Cisco MDS NX-OS 9.4(5a)

The hardware and the software of this document are out of support, and the one line that no longer exists is the ip host entry. Everything else in the command set would still be accepted by a current MDS.