Using Flexaddress And Flexaddress Plus Cards; About Flexaddress; About Flexaddress Plus - Dell PowerEdge FX2 User Manual

Using FlexAddress and FlexAddress Plus cards

This section provides information about FlexAddress and how to use FlexAddress Plus card to configure FlexAddress.
NOTE: The FlexAddress feature is licensed. This feature license is included in the Enterprise License.

About FlexAddress

FlexAddress allows CMC to assign WWN/MAC IDs to a particular slot and override the factory IDs. Hence, if the server module is
replaced, the slot based WWN/MAC IDs remain the same. This feature eliminates the need to reconfigure Ethernet network
management tools, SAN resources, DHCP servers, and routers for various fabrics for a new server module.
Every server module is assigned unique WWN and/or MAC IDs as part of the manufacturing process. Without FlexAddress, if a
server had to be replaced with another server module, the WWN/MAC IDs changes and Ethernet network management tools and
SAN resources had to be reconfigured to identify the new server module.
If the server is inserted in a new slot or chassis, the server-assigned WWN/MAC is used unless that chassis has the FlexAddress
feature enabled for the new slot. If you remove the server, it will revert to the server-assigned address.
Additionally, the override action only occurs when a server module is inserted in a FlexAddress enabled chassis; no permanent
changes are made to the server module. If a server module is moved to a chassis that does not support FlexAddress, the factory-
assigned WWN/MAC IDs is used.
CMC FX2/FX2S chassis is shipped with the FlexAddress Plus SD card, which supports FlexAddress, FlexAddress Plus, and
Extended Storage features.
NOTE: Data contained on the FlexAddress Plus SD card is encrypted and may not be duplicated or altered in any
manner, because it may inhibit system function and cause the system to not function properly.
NOTE: The use of a FlexAddress Plus SD card is limited to one chassis only. You cannot use the same FlexAddress Plus
SD card on another chassis.

About FlexAddress Plus

Each FlexAddress Plus feature card contains unique pool of MAC/WWNs that allow the chassis to assign World Wide Name/Media
Access Control (WWN/MAC) addresses to Fibre Channel and Ethernet devices. Chassis assigned WWN/MAC addresses are
globally unique and specific to a server slot.
Before installing FlexAddress, you can determine the range of MAC addresses contained on a FlexAddress feature card by inserting
the SD card into an USB Memory Card Reader and viewing the pwwn_mac.xml file. This clear text XML file on the SD card contains
an XML tag mac_start that is the first starting hex MAC address that is used for this unique MAC address range. The
mac_count tag is the total number of MAC addresses that the SD card allocates. To determine the total MAC range allocated, use
the following formula:
<mac_start> + <mac_count> - 1 = <mac_end>
For example:
(starting_mac)00:18:8B:FF:DC:FA + (mac_count)0xCF – 1 = (ending_mac)00:18:8B:FF:DD:C8
NOTE: Lock the SD card prior to inserting in the USB Memory Card Reader to prevent accidently modifying any of the
contents. You must unlock the SD card before inserting into CMC.
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