Reference Guide

56 Fabric OS FCIP Administrator’s Guide
53-1002474-01
FCIP design considerations for the FR4-18i blade
3
Virtual port types
Virtual ports may be defined as VE_Ports or VEX_Ports:
• VE_Ports (virtual E_Ports) are used to create interswitch links (ISLs) through an FCIP tunnel. If
VE_Ports are used on both ends of an FCIP tunnel, the fabrics connected by the tunnel are
merged.
• VEX_Ports enable FC-FC Routing Service functionality over an FCIP tunnel. VEX_Ports enable
interfabric links (IFLs). If a VEX_Port is on one end of an FCIP tunnel, the fabrics connected by
the tunnel are not merged. The other end of the tunnel must be defined as a VE_Port.
VEX_Ports are not used in pairs.
Figure 15 illustrates a portion of a Fibre Channel network that uses FCIP ISLs, which are VE_Ports
connected over the IP WAN network, to join the office and data center SANs into a single larger
SAN.
FIGURE 15 Network using FCIP
Office
FC SAN
VE_Port VE_Port
VE_Port
VE_Port
Fibre Channel
Initiator
Brocade 7500
Brocade DCX
with FR4-18i Blade
Brocade DCX
with FR4-18i Blade
Data Center
FC SAN
Fibre Channel
Initiator
Fibre Channel
Target
Fibre Channel
Target
Brocade 7500
Office
FC SAN
Office
FC SAN
IP WAN
Network