I have recently completed a 2GB SAN Fabric upgrade to 8GB on Brocade switches and came across two issues.

The biggest issue and the one that caused me greatest consternation was the fact that Brocade have hard-coded all the new FC switches to accept only Brocade branded SFP modules.  Now this isn’t that big a problem for your shortwave connections due to the fact that the SFP modules you already own are probably not 8GB capable so you’ll have ordered new SFP modules at the same time as ordering the switch.  However, it is entirely feasible that any Longwave SFP modules you currently own are 4GB capable (which is equivalent speed to any Brocade LW SFPs) and thought you might be able to reutilise them and save a few grand.  You can’t!

Basically if you issue an SFP show command and any of the SFP Modules are listed as anything other than BROCADE under the Vendor ID, then they will not work in the new 8GB FC Switches.

The second issue is actually an IBM related problem and if you have ordered the SAN24B (8GB) Express then it doesn’t come with the capability of using E-Ports (ISLs).  I found this out the hard way as well, so save yourself a lot of irritation and don’t order the ‘Express’ version of the any of the new IBM 8GB fibre switches because in the long run there is nothing express about them!