Npv Mode; Np Ports; Np Links; Internal Flogi Parameters - Cisco AP775A - Nexus Converged Network Switch 5010 Configuration Manual

Chapter 21 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

NPV Mode

A switch is in NPV mode after a user has enabled NPV and the switch has successfully rebooted. NPV
mode applies to an entire switch. All end devices connected to a switch that is in NPV mode must log in
as an N port to use this feature (loop-attached devices are not supported). All links from the edge
switches (in NPV mode) to the NPV core switches are established as NP ports (not E ports), which are
used for typical interswitch links. NPIV is used by the switches in NPV mode to log in to multiple end
devices that share a link to the NPV core switch.
In-order data delivery is not required in NPV mode because the exchange between two end devices
Note
always takes the same uplink to the core from the NPV device. For traffic beyond the NPV device, core
switches will enforce in-order delivery if needed and/or configured.

NP Ports

An NP port (proxy N port) is a port on a device that is in NPV mode and connected to the NPV core
switch using an F port. NP ports behave like N ports except that in addition to providing N port behavior,
they also function as proxies for multiple, physical N ports.

NP Links

An NP link is basically an NPIV uplink to a specific end device. NP links are established when the uplink
to the NPV core switch comes up; the links are terminated when the uplink goes down. Once the uplink
is established, the NPV switch performs an internal FLOGI to the NPV core switch, and then (if the
FLOGI is successful) registers itself with the NPV core switch's name server. Subsequent FLOGIs from
end devices in this NP link are converted to FDISCs. For more details refer to the
Parameters" section on page
Server links are uniformly distributed across the NP links. All the end devices behind a server link will
be mapped to only one NP link.

Internal FLOGI Parameters

When an NP port comes up, the NPV device first logs itself in to the NPV core switch and sends a FLOGI
request that includes the following parameters:
•
•
After completing its FLOGI request, the NPV device registers itself with the fabric name server using
the following additional parameters:
•
•
OL-17256-03, Cisco MDS NX-OS Release 4.x
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The fWWN (fabric port WWN) of the NP port used as the pWWN in the internal login.
The VSAN-based sWWN (switch WWN) of the NPV device used as nWWN (node WWN) in the
internal FLOGI.
Switch name and interface name (for example, fc1/4) of the NP port is embedded in the symbolic
port name in the name server registration of the NPV device itself.
The IP address of the NPV device is registered as the IP address in the name server registration of
the NPV device.
Cisco MDS 9000 Family Fabric Manager Configuration Guide
About NPV
"Internal FLOGI
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