Enabling N Port Identifier Virtualization; About N Port Virtualization - Cisco MDS 9000 Series Configuration Manual

About N Port Virtualization

S e n d d o c u m e n t a t i o n c o m m e n t s t o m d s f e e d b a c k - d o c @ c i s c o . c o m
Figure 7-1
Application
server
You must globally enable NPIV for all VSANs on the MDS switch to allow the NPIV-enabled
applications to use multiple N port identifiers.
All of the N port identifiers are allocated in the same VSAN.
Note

Enabling N Port Identifier Virtualization

You must globally enable NPIV for all VSANs on the MDS switch to allow the NPIV-enabled
applications to use multiple N port identifiers.
Note All of the N port identifiers are allocated in the same VSAN.
To enable or disable NPIV on the switch, follow these steps:
Command
Step 1
switch# config t
Step 2
switch(config)# feature npiv
Step 3
switch(config)# no feature npiv
About N Port Virtualization
Typically, Fibre Channel networks are deployed using a core-edge model with a large number of fabric
switches connected to core devices. However, as the number of ports in the fabric increases, the number
of switches deployed also increases, and you can end up with a dramatic increase in the number of
domain IDs (the maximum number supported is 239). This challenge becomes even more difficult when
additional blade chassis are deployed in Fibre Channel networks.
NPV addresses the increase in the number of domain IDs needed to deploy a large number of the ports
by making a fabric or module switch appear as a host to the core Fibre Channel switch, and as a Fibre
Channel switch to the servers in the fabric or blade switch. NPV aggregates multiple locally connected
N ports into one or more external NP links, which shares the domain ID of the NPV core switch among
multiple NPV switches (see
the NPV core switch, thereby reducing the need for more ports on the core.
Cisco MDS 9000 Family NX-OS Interfaces Configuration Guide
7-2
NPIV Example
LUN 1
E-mail
N_Port_ID 1
LUN 2
Web
N_Port_ID 2
LUN 3
Print
N_Port_ID 3
N port
Node
controller
Figure 7-2). NPV also allows multiple devices to attach to the same port on
Chapter 7 Configuring N Port Virtualization
MDS switch
F port
Purpose
Enters configuration mode.
Enables NPIV for all VSANs on the switch.
Disables (default) NPIV on the switch.
OL-19445-02, Cisco MDS NX-OS Release 4.2(x)