Connectivity Guide

2. Configure the port queues that will still function as no-drop queues for lossless traffic.
INTERFACE mode
pfc no-drop queues queue-range
For the dot1p-queue assignments, refer to the dot1p Priority-Queue Assignment table.
The maximum number of lossless queues globally supported on the switch is two.
The range is from 0 to 7. Separate the queue values with a comma; specify a priority range with a dash; for example, pfc
no-drop queues 1,7 or pfc no-drop queues 2-7.
The range is from 0 to 3. Separate the queue values with a comma; specify a priority range with a dash; for example, pfc
no-drop queues 1,3 or pfc no-drop queues 2-3.
The default: No lossless queues are configured.
NOTE: Dell EMC Networking OS Behavior: By default, no lossless queues are configured on a port.
A limit of two lossless queues is supported on a port. If the amount of priority traffic that you configure to be paused exceeds
the two lossless queues, an error message displays.
It is the user responsibility to have symmetric PFC configurations on the interfaces involved in a particular PFC-enabled
traffic-flow to obtain lossless behavior.
Configuring PFC in a DCB Map
A switch supports the use of a DCB map in which you configure priority-based flow control (PFC) setting. To configure PFC
parameters, you must apply a DCB map on an interface.
PFC Configuration Notes
PFC provides flow control based on the 802.1p priorities in a converged Ethernet traffic that is received on an interface and
is enabled by default when you enable DCB. As an enhancement to the existing Ethernet pause functionality, PFC stops traffic
transmission for specified priorities (CoS values) without impacting other priority classes. Different traffic types are assigned to
different priority classes.
When traffic congestion occurs, PFC sends a pause frame to a peer device with the CoS priority values of the traffic that
needs to be stopped. DCBx provides the link-level exchange of PFC parameters between peer devices. PFC allows network
administrators to create zero-loss links for SAN traffic that requires no-drop service, while at the same time retaining packet-
drop congestion management for LAN traffic.
On a switch, PFC is enabled by default on Ethernet ports (pfc mode on command). You can configure PFC parameters
using a DCB map or the pfc priority command in Interface configuration mode. For more information, see Configuring
Priority-Based Flow Control.
As soon as you apply a DCB map with PFC enabled on an interface, DCBx starts exchanging information with a peer. The
IEEE802.1Qbb, CEE and CIN versions of PFC TLV are supported. DCBx also validates PFC configurations that are received
in TLVs from peer devices. By applying a DCB map with PFC enabled, you enable PFC operations on ingress port traffic. To
achieve complete lossless handling of traffic, configure PFC priorities on all DCB egress ports.
When you apply or remove a DCB input policy from an interface, one or two CRC errors are expected to be noticed on the
ingress ports for each removal or attachment of the policy. This behavior occurs because the port is brought down when PFC
is configured. When a DCB input policy with PFC profile is configured or unconfigured on an interface or a range of interfaces
not receiving any traffic, interfaces with PFC settings that receive appropriate PFC-enabled traffic (unicast, mixed-frame-size
traffic) display incremental values in the CRC and discards counters. (These ingress interfaces receiving pfc-enabled traffic
have an egress interface that has a compatible PFC configuration).
NOTE: DCB maps are supported only on physical Ethernet interfaces.
● To remove a DCB map, including the PFC configuration it contains, use the no dcb map command in Interface
configuration mode.
● To disable PFC operation on an interface, use the no pfc mode on command in DCB-Map configuration mode.
● Traffic may be interrupted when you reconfigure PFC no-drop priorities in a DCB map or re-apply the DCB map to an
interface.
Data Center Bridging (DCB)
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