Configuration And Operation - Dell QLogic Family of Adapters User Manual

NIC Partitioning (NPAR): QLogic QME8242 Mezzanine Card User's Guide
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NIC Partitioning (NPAR): QLogic QME8242 Mezzanine Card
User's Guide
This section provides the following information about the QLogic NIC Partitioning (NPAR) feature:
Overview

Configuration and Operation

Overview
The NPAR feature in QLogic adapters provides the ability to create multiple PCIe physical functions for each physical 10 GbE
port on the adapter. Each of the PCIe functions appears as an independent interface to the host operating system or
hypervisor.
Dual-port, 10 Gb adapters configured as Ethernet-only adapters contain eight Ethernet functions. QME8242 configurations can
contain up to four Ethernet functions corresponding to each physical port.
Configuration and Operation
By default, NPAR functionality is disabled on the adapters. Only two Ethernet functions are enabled. Depending on the feature
personality mapping supported on the adapter, you can enable additional Ethernet or storage functions. The PCI function
number assignment is as follows:
Functions 0 and 1 are always NIC functions.
Functions 4 and 5 are iSCSI functions if iSCSI is enabled.
Functions 6 and 7 are FCoE functions if FCoE is enabled.
If iSCSI and FCoE functions are not enabled, they are available to be configured as NIC functions.
Only one iSCSI function per physical port.
Only one FCoE function per physical port.
The PCI function to port mapping is also fixed as follows:
Functions 0, 2, 4, and 6 share one physical port.
Functions 1, 3, 5, and 7 share the other physical port.
When performed, the following operations require a system reboot to take effect:
Enabling or disabling NPAR mode
Changing function type (iSCSI to NIC, FCoE to NIC, or NIC to FCoE)
Perform NPAR configuration using any of the following methods:
OptROM
Lifecycle controller
Managements tools under various operating systems
After you have configured NPAR mode, you can modify the minimum and maximum bandwidth per NPAR. The changes take
effect immediately; no reboot is required. The minimum and maximum bandwidths are specified as percentages of the link
bandwidth, where:
Minimum bandwidth is the minimum guaranteed bandwidth to a partition.
Maximum bandwidth is the maximum value that a partition is permitted to use.
NPAR mode supports iSCSI Boot, FCoE Boot, and PXE Boot in their respective partitions.
NOTE: For additional information on configuring NPAR in the
online help system.
Please read all restrictions and
file:///T|/htdocs/NETWORK/QLogic/71922/en/npar.htm[9/26/2012 4:25:47 PM]
disclaimers.
QConvergeConsole utility, refer to the QConvergeConsole