Cisco Nexus 5000 Series Switch CLI Software Configuration Guide, NX-OS 4.0(1a)N1 (OL-16597-01, January 2009)

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34-6
Cisco Nexus 5000 Series Switch CLI Software Configuration Guide
OL-16597-01
Chapter 34 Configuring N Port Virtualization
Configuring NPV
• NPV uses a load-balancing algorithm to automatically assign end devices in a VSAN to one of the
NP uplinks (in the same VSAN) upon initial login. If there are multiple NP uplinks in the same
VSAN, you cannot assign an end device to a specific NP uplink.
• If a server interface goes down and then returns to service, the interface is not guaranteed to be
assigned to the same NP uplink.
• The server interface is only operational when its assigned NP uplink is operational.
• Both servers and targets can be connected to the switch when in NPV mode.
• Fibre Channel switching is not performed in the edge switch; all traffic is switched in the core
switch.
• NPV supports NPIV-capable module servers. This capability is called nested NPIV.
• Only F, NP, and SD ports are supported in NPV mode.
Configuring NPV
Configuring NPV mode is described in the following topics:
• Enabling NPV, page 34-6
• Configuring NPV Interfaces, page 34-7
• Configuring NPV Traffic Management, page 34-7
Enabling NPV
When you enable NPV, the system configuration is erased and the switch reboots.
Note We recommend that you save your current configuration either in boot flash memory or to a TFTP server
before you enable NPV.
To enable NPV, perform this task:
Command Purpose
Step 1
switch# configure terminal
switch(config)#
Enters configuration mode.
Step 2
switch(config)# npv enable
Enables NPV mode. The switch reboots, and it
comes back up in NPV mode.
Note A write-erase is performed during the
initialization.
Step 3
switch(config-npv)# no npv enable
switch(config)#
Disables NPV mode, which results in a reload of
the switch.