Cisco MDS 9000 Series Configuration Manual page 177

Chapter 7 Configuring 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 7-2
Cisco Fabric Switch
for HP c-Class BladeSystem
Cisco Fabric Switch
for IBM BladeCenter
While NPV is similar to N port identifier virtualization (NPIV), it does not offer exactly the same
functionality. NPIV provides a means to assign multiple FC IDs to a single N port, and allows multiple
applications on the N port to use different identifiers. NPIV also allows access control, zoning, and port
security to be implemented at the application level. NPV makes use of NPIV to get multiple FCIDs
allocated from the core switch on the NP port.
Figure 7-3
Figure 7-3
Host
Host
OL-19445-02, Cisco MDS NX-OS Release 4.2(x)
Cisco NPV Fabric Configuration
F-port
NP-port
NPV Device uses
the same domains
as the NPV-core
switches
in a Blade Chassis
Blade Server 1
Blade Server 2
Blade Server n
shows a more granular view of an NPV configuration at the interface level.
Cisco NPV Configuration–Interface View
N-Port
NPV Device
F-Port
N-Port
NPV-Core Switch
(MDS or 3rd party switch
with NPIV support)
FC
10.1.1
Can have
multiple uplinks
on different
VSANs
F-port (server port)
NPV Core Switch
F-Port
NP-Port
NPIV enabled
Cisco MDS 9000 Family NX-OS Interfaces Configuration Guide
About N Port Virtualization
FC
20.2.1
Up to 100
NPV switches
10.5.2 10.5.7
FC
20.5.1
Target Initiator
(no FL ports)
7-3