4–Managing Fabric ZoningManaging the Zoning Database4-10 59266-01 BMerge Auto SaveThe Merge Auto Save parameter determines whether changes to the active zoneset that a switch receives from other switches in the fabric are saved to the zoningdatabase on that switch. Changes are saved when an updated zone set isactivated. Zoning changes are always saved to temporary memory. If Merge Auto Save is enabled, the switch firmware saves changes to theactive zone set in temporary memory and to the zoning database. If Merge Auto Save is disabled, changes to the active zone set are storedonly in temporary memory and are cleared when the switch is reset.Default ZoneThe Default Zone parameter enables (Allow) or disables (Deny) communicationamong ports/devices that are not defined in the active zone set or when there isno active zone set. This parameter must have the same value throughout thefabric. However, the Default Zone parameter is not automatically distributedthroughout the fabric and must be configured to the same state in every switch inthe fabric.Discard InactiveThe Discard Inactive parameter automatically removes inactive zones and zonesets when a zone set is activated or deactivated from a remote switch.Saving and Restoring the Zoning Database to a FileYou can save the zoning database to an XML file, restore the saved database orthe default zoning (which clears the switch of all definitions). You can also removeall zones and zone set definitions.Saving the Zoning Database to a FileTo save a zoning database to a file:1. Select a switch or a stack in the fabric tree.2. On the Zoning menu, click Edit Zoning to view the Edit Zoning dialog box.NOTE:Disabling the Merge Auto Save parameter can be useful to prevent thepropagation of zoning information when experimenting with different zoningschemes. However, leaving the Merge Auto Save parameter disabled candisrupt device configurations should a switch have to be reset. For thisreason, the Merge Auto Save parameter should be enabled in a productionenvironment.
