C H A P T E R 21 Configuring N Port Virtualization - HP Cisco MDS 9216 - Fabric Switch Configuration Manual

About NPV
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 21-1
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 21-2
Figure 21-2
Host
Host
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.
Cisco MDS 9000 Family CLI Configuration Guide
21-2
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 F-Port
N-Port F-Port
NPV-Core Switch
(MDS or 3rd party switch
with NPIV support)
10.1.1
Can have
multiple uplinks
on different
VSANs
E-port (server port)
NPV Device
NP-Port F-Port
NP-Port F-Port
NPV Device
Chapter 21 Configuring N Port Virtualization
FC FC
20.2.1
Up to 100
NPV switches
10.5.2
FC
20.5.1
Target
NPV Core Switch
NPIV enable
OL-16184-01, Cisco MDS SAN-OS Release 3.x
10.5.7
Initiator
(no FL ports)