SAN-OS Software Release Feature Table
New Features for SAN-OS Release 3.1(3a)
There are no new features for this release. The new features for this release are the same as those listed in the Cisco MDS 9000 Family Release Notes for Cisco MDS SAN-OS Release 3.1(3).Release Notes for SAN-OS Release 3.1(3a)
New Features for SAN-OS Release 3.1(3)
| Feature | Description |
| New CompactFlash Test Capabilities | As of Cisco MDS SAN-OS 3.1(3), the ability to detect a faulty CompactFlash is built into the SAN-OS software. A new CompactFlash cyclic redundancy check (CRC) checksum test can check the state of the CompactFlash firmware on select modules. If the CompactFlash firmware is not corrupted, then the SAN-OS software can automatically update the CompactFlash firmware. |
| Universal Serial Bus Support | The two Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 compatible ports on the Cisco MDS 9500 Series Supervisor-2 module are available for use with Cisco MDS SAN-OS Release 3.1(3). USB flash drives connected to these ports may be used for the same functions as media in the external compact flash slot. |
| System Default Port Mode F | As of Cisco SAN-0S Release 3.1(3), a new CLI command allows you to globally change the mode of Fibre Channel ports whose default mode is Auto, while avoiding traffic disruption caused by the formation of unwanted inter-switch links (ISLs). The new system default switchport mode F command sets the administrative mode of ports to mode F, while switch operation remains graceful. No ports are flapped. |
| Changes in SAN Device Virtualization | Cisco SAN-OS Release 3.1(3) supports the following features of SAN Device Virtualization:
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Release Notes for SAN-OS Release 3.1(3)
New Features for SAN-OS Release 3.1(2b)
| Fabric Manager Enhancements | Description |
| Install Option to Use Oracle Express Database | In Cisco Fabric Manager, you now have the option of using an Oracle Express database or the existing Hypersonic HSQL database. We recommend that you use an Oracle Express database if you are using Performance Manager on a large fabric of 1000 or more end devices. |
| User Interface Changes | As of Cisco SAN-OS Release 3.1(2b), the following changes can be seen in the user interface of Cisco Fabric Manager:
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Release Notes for SAN-OS Release 3.1(2b)
New Features for SAN-OS Release 3.1(2a)
There are no new features for this release. The new features for this release are the same as those listed in the Cisco MDS 9000 Family Release Notes for Cisco MDS SAN-OS Release 3.1(2).Release Notes for SAN-OS Release 3.1(2a)
New Features for SAN-OS Release 3.1(2)
| Feature | Description |
| Cisco Fabric Switch for HP c-Class BladeSystem | Supports the new Cisco Fabric Switch for HP c-Class BladeSystem. Through the on-demand port activation license, this switch can be configured with sixteen internal and eight external active ports and four 4-Gb SFPs installed, or with eight internal and four external active ports and two 4-Gb SFPs installed. The Cisco Fabric Switch for HP c-Class BladeSystem also features nondisruptive software upgrades. |
| Cisco Fabric Switch for IBM BladeCenter | Supports the new Cisco Fabric Switch for IBM BladeCenter. This switch includes fourteen internal and six external ports, and it features an on-demand port activation license and nondisruptive software upgrades. |
| SAN Device Virtualization | Allows you to create virtual devices that represent physical end-devices when configuring switches with Cisco SAN-OS Release 3.1(2) and later. Virtualization of SAN devices accelerates swap-out or failover to a replacement disk. |
| Enable/Disable Link Traps | Allows you to control whether SNMP link state traps are enabled or disabled. |
| Daylight Savings Time Change | Allows you to change the switch configuration to make the daylight saving time adjustment. |
| FCS Discovery of Virtual Devices | Allows you to discover virtual devices in a particular VSAN or in all VSANs. |
| Online Health Management System (OHMS) for the MDS 9124 Switch | Provides hardware fault detection and recovery on the Cisco MDS 9124 Switch. |
| Compact Flash Report in Cisco Fabric Manager | Scans your switch fabric automatically and reports the status of Compact Flash on certain modules. |
Release Notes for SAN-OS Release 3.1(2)
New Features for SAN-OS Release 3.1(1)
| Feature | Description |
| Cisco MDS 9124 Multilayer Fabric Switch Support | Supports the new Cisco MDS 9124 Multilayer Fabric Switch. The Cisco MDS 9124 Switch has 24 1-, 2-, and 4-Gbps auto-sensing Fibre Channel ports. It includes an on-demand port activation license feature that allows 8-port, 16-port, and 24-port configurations to optimize price and scalability. See the Cisco MDS 9000 Family Release Notes for Cisco MDS SAN-OS Release 3.1(1) and the Cisco MDS 9100 Series Hardware Installation Guide for more information about the Cisco MDS 9124 Multilayer Fabric Switch and supported features. |
| On-Demand Ports | Allows SAN connectivity to be expanded as needed using on-demand ports. The Cisco MDS 9124 Switch ships with 8 ports enabled. The on-demand ports activation license enables 8 additional ports, for up to a total of 24 ports. |
| Nondisruptive Software Upgrades | Provides nondisruptive software upgrades for the Cisco MDS 9124 Switch. |
| Increased Oversubscription Ratios | Removes the restrictions on maximum oversubscription ratios allowed for shared 4-Gbps ports. |
| Device Alias Enhancements | Specifies that aliases operate in basic or enhanced modes. |
| SNMP over TCP Session Authentication | Provides a more efficient and robust bulk transfer mechanism within the SNMP framework. Credentials are captured at the beginning of an SNMP over TCP session. These credentials are used for authentication and privacy (encryption) of SNMP PDUs for an entire session. |
| IP Network Simulator | Provides the following functions:
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| Over Temperature Test Trap | New CLI command has been added to generate an over temperature trap. This trap can be used to verify that trap destinations are configured properly without resorting to removing switch power supplies, fan trays, and so on to trigger an alert. |
| FICON Tape Acceleration over FCIP | Provides the following advantages:
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| FIPS Compliance | Implements FIPS features and is currently in the certification process with the U.S. Governement. Cisco MDS SAN-OS Release 3.1(1) is not FIPS-compliant at this time. |
| Fabric Manager Enhancements | Description |
| New Login Dialog Box | Requires entering the default user name and password to login initially as an administrator, then setting the FM Server Address to the IP address where Fabric Manager Server is installed, or setting the FM Server Address to the IP Address of the localhost if Fabric Manager Server is installed on a local workstation. |
| Off-line Provisioning with Device Aliases | Pre-provisions the following switch features using device aliases:
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| Quick Configuration Wizard | Simplifies zoning and VSAN configuration on very small SAN fabrics. |
| JDBC Support | Supports the industry standard JDBC API for improved scalability with larger fabrics and for configurations with extremely large zoning requirements. Note: This is an optional feature that requires separate Oracle Database installation and additional Cisco FM configuration. |
| Report Generation with Third-Party Tools | Includes third-party report generation tools like Crystal Reports can access the Cisco Fabric Manager relational database to create fully customized reports. |
| Gigabit Ethernet Performance Monitoring | Transmits and receives throughput statistics on Gigabit Ethernet ports used for iSCSI and FCIP. |
| Performance>Others Report | Allows users to collect throughput and error statistics for any MIB variable and to collect supervisor CPU utilization and memory utilization. |
| User Defined Sampling Interval | Allows users to configure the sampling interval for ISLs to provide increased resolution for these critical links. |
Release Notes for SAN-OS Release 3.1(1)
New Features for SAN-OS Release 3.0(3)
| Feature | Description |
| Command Scheduler Remote User Passwords | Allows you to specify passwords for remote users to allow them to configure command scheduler jobs. |
| IVR Zones and Zone Members | Increases the limits for IVR zones to 8,000 and for IVR zone members to 10,000. |
| Preferred Path | Allows you to specify preferred Fibre Channel route maps for data traffic. A new MIB, CISCO-PREFERRED-PATH-MIB, configures and monitors this Preferred Path feature. |
| Fabric Manager Enhancements | The Cisco MDS 9000 Family Fabric Manager supports:
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Release Notes for SAN-OS Release 3.0(3)
New Features for SAN-OS Release 3.0(2a)
There are no new features for this release. The new features for this release are the same as those listed in the Cisco MDS 9000 Family Release Notes for Cisco MDS SAN-OS Release 3.0(2).Release Notes for SAN-OS Release 3.0(2a)
New Features for SAN-OS Release 3.0(2)
| Feature | Description |
| Domain Manager Fast Restart | Shortens the time it takes for Domain Manager to select a new principal link. Enabling this feature and having an available backup link means Domain Manager takes only a few milliseconds to select a new principal link. The reconfiguration required to select the new principal link only affects the two switches that are directly attached to the failed link, and not the entire VSAN. |
| FICON Configuration | Provides the following FICON features to the Cisco Fabric Manager and Device Manager:
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Release Notes for SAN-OS Release 3.0(2)
New Features for SAN-OS Release 3.0(1)
| Feature | Description |
| Supervisor-2 Module Support | Includes support for Supervisor-2 module features, including configuring modem parameters on the console port and COM1 port, and allowing 1000-Mbps speed on the management port. |
| CFS Over IP Distribution | Distributes application data over IP connections. The distribution is transparent to the application, but the application must first register with CFS. The following CFS applications register for the CFS over IP distribution option: NTP, role, RADIUS, TACACS+, syslogd, and Call Home. |
| N-Port Identifier Virtualization (NPIV) | Provides a means to assign multiple port IDs to a single N port. This feature allows multiple applications on the N port to use different identifiers and allows access control, zoning, and port security to be implemented at the application level. NPIV must be globally enabled for all VSANs on the MDS switch to allow the NPIV-enabled applications to use multiple N port FC IDs. |
| McDATA Native Interoperability | Includes commands to configure McDATA native mode interoperability. |
| Generation 2 Switching Module Support | Includes the following set of switching modules that are supported by the Cisco MDS 9500 Series of switches:
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| In-Order-Delivery Enhancement | Ensures that frames are delivered in order within the switch latency drop period. |
| MS-CHAP | Allows user logins to an MDS switch through a remote authentication server (RADIUS or ACACS+). MS-CHAP must be explicitly enabled to be used. |
| Certificate Authorities and Digital Certificates | Interoperates with certificate authorities and uses digital certificates for secure communication with peers. |
| IKE Digital Certificates | Allows IKE to use digital certificates for authentication instead of using preshared keys. |
| SNMP over TCP/IP | Allows SNMP messages to be transported over TCP rather than UDP for management traffic on the out-of-band Gigabit Ethernet management port (mgmt0). |
| Fabric Binding for Fibre Channel | Supports fabric binding for Fibre Channel VSANs as well as FICON VSANs. |
| FCIP Tape Read Acceleration | Supports tape read acceleration over FCIP interfaces as well as tape write acceleration. |
| iSCSI Server Load Balancing (iSLB) | Provides a means to easily configure large scale iSCSI deployments containing hundreds or even thousands of initiators. iSLB provides the following features:
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| IP version 6 (IPv6) | Provides extended addressing capability beyond those provided in IP version 4 (IPv4) in Cisco MDS SAN-OS. The architecture of IPv6 has been designed to allow existing IPv4 users to transition easily to IPv6 while providing services such as end-to-end security, quality of service (QoS), and globally unique addresses. IPv6 provides the following enhancements over IPv4:
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| SMI-S 1.1.0 Compliant | Supports an embedded CIM agent that is compliant with SMI-S version 1.1.0. The new CIM agent includes a new access point profile. |
| Call Home Enhancements | Allows customization of alert group messages. |
Release Notes for SAN-OS Release 3.0(1)