FC path down on ESXi host and the paths are not logged in on storage

• Ontap 9
• VMware ESXi
• Brocade FC Switch

• Missing paths on host end and hosts not logged in on some of the lifs on storage end.
   
• ESXi esxcfg-mpath -b indicates only 1 vmhba is used to connect to LUN
  • or esxcli storage nmp path list indicates that 1 vmhba is missing either active or active unoptimized paths
  • or esxcli storage device path list indicates that only 1 working path is available

• vCenter Hosts and Clusters > Configure > Storage Adapter > Paths  shows paths as down
  • or Hosts and Clusters > Configure > Storage Devices > Paths  shows paths as down
  • or Storage > Select LUN > Configure > Connectivity and Multipathing > Select Host > Paths  shows paths as down

• Brocade FC switch confirms 1 link from the respective host is down as per switchshow output (G-PORT instead of F-PORT)

switchshow:
switchName:    BrocadeswitchA
switchType:    71.2
switchState:   Online   
switchMode:    Native
switchRole:    Subordinate
switchDomain:  1
switchId:      fffc01
switchWwn:     10:xxxxx
zoning:        ON (zoningcfgname)
switchBeacon:  OFF
HIF Mode:      OFF

Index Port Address Media Speed       State   Proto
==================================================
   0   0   010000   id    N8       Online      FC  E-Port  10:00:88:94:xx:xx:xx:xx "BrocadeSwitchB" 
   1   1   010100   id    N4       Online      FC  F-Port  20:01:a4:ba:xx:xx:xx:xx 
   2   2   010200   id    N8       Online      FC  G-Port  

• Ensure that there are no physical layer issues caused by degraded HBA SFP, cable and/or switch SFP
• HBA firmware is on the latest version and compatible as well.