Fabric Extender Features - Cisco nexus 5000 series Configuration Manual

Configuring the Fabric Extender

Fabric Extender Features

The Cisco Nexus 2000 Series Fabric Extender allows a single switch—and a single consistent set of switch
features—to be supported across a large number of hosts and servers. By supporting a large server-domain
under a single management entity, policies can be enforced more efficiently.
Some of the features of the parent switch cannot be extended onto the Fabric Extender.
Layer 2 Host Interfaces
The Fabric Extender provides connectivity for computer hosts and other edge devices in the network fabric.
Follow these guidelines when connecting devices to Fabric Extender host interfaces:
• All Fabric Extender host interfaces run as spanning tree edge ports with BPDU Guard enabled and you
• You can connect servers that use active/standby teaming, 802.3ad port channels, or other host-based
• Any device that is running spanning tree connected to a Fabric Extender host interface results in that
• You can connect only virtual switches that leverages a link redundancy mechanism not dependent on
You can enable host interfaces to accept Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) packets. This protocol only works
when it is enabled for both ends of a link.
CDP is not supported on fabric interfaces when the Fabric Extender is configured in a virtual port channel
Note
(vPC) topology.
Ingress and egress packet counters are provided on each host interface.
For more information about BPDU Guard, see
Host Port Channel
The Cisco Nexus 2248TP, Cisco Nexus 2232PP, Cisco Nexus 2224TP, , Cisco Nexus B22 Fabric Extender
for Fujitsu (N2K-B22FTS-P), Cisco Nexus B22 Fabric Extender for Dell (N2K-B22DELL-P), and Cisco
Nexus B22 Fabric Extender for HP (N2K-B22HP-P) support port channel host interface configurations. Up
to eight interfaces can be combined in an port channel. The port channel can be configured with or without
LACP.
OL-25842-01
cannot configure them as spanning tree network ports.
link redundancy mechanisms to Fabric Extender host interfaces.
host interface being placed in an error-disabled state when a BPDU is received.
spanning tree such as Cisco FlexLink or vPC (with the BPDU Filter enabled) to a Fabric Extender host
interface. Because spanning tree is not used to eliminate loops, you should ensure a loop-free topology
below the Fabric Extender host interfaces.
Cisco Nexus 5000 Series NX-OS Layer 2 Switching Configuration Guide, Release 5.1(3)N1(1)
Understanding BPDU Guard, on page 216
Fabric Extender Features
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