Configuring Data Center Bridging
Features
This chapter describes how to manage the features developed for use in data
center environments but often used in a variety of 10G applications.
The topics covered in this chapter include:
•
Data Center Bridging Technology Overview
•
Priority Flow Control (PFC)
•
DCB Capability Exchange (DCBX)
•
FIP Snooping
•
Enhanced Transmission Selection (ETS)
Data Center Bridging Technology Overview
The PowerConnect 8024/8024F switches support Data Center Bridging
(DCB) features to increase the reliability of Ethernet-based networks in the
data center.
The PC81xx switches support PFC, ETS, and DCBX capability exchange,
with the ability to autoconfigure from a peer switch. The PC80xx switches
support FIP Snooping, DCBX capability exchanges and ETS proxy, and the
ability to autoconfigure from a peer switch. The PC80xx also can be manually
configured to support bandwidth sharing among traffic classes.
The Ethernet enhancements that DCB provides are well suited for Fibre
Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) environments and iSCSI applications.
Table 29-1 provides a summary of the features this chapter describes.
Table 29-1. Data Center Features
Feature
Description
PFC
Provides a way to distinguish which traffic on a physical link is
paused when congestion occurs based on the priority of the traffic.
Configuring Data Center Bridging Features
29
799