FCoE Cookbook for HP Virtual Connect Version 4.20 Firmware Enhancements May 2014

This cookbook provides only basic Cisco guidelines and configuration steps, for a more complete and detailed list of

Nexus FCoE configuration guidelines, refer to the Fibre Channel over Ethernet Configuration Guides available at

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/switches/nexus-5000-series-switches/products-installation-and-

configuration-guides-list.html

For information on Nexus FCoE supported configuration and design with Virtual Port Channel (vPC), refer to:

 Data Center Design with Cisco Nexus Switches and Virtual PortChannel

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps9670/products_implementation_design_guides_list.html

Configuring Storage Array for FC/FCoE is beyond the scope of this document, consult your Storage Array

documentations.

Requirements

Refer to SPOCK C-Series FCoE Switch Connectivity stream at

http://h20272.www2.hp.com/Pages/spock2Html.aspx?htmlFile=hw_switches.html for information on:

 Minimum NX-OS version

 Minimum Virtual Connect firmware version

 HP FlexFabric Adapter Firmware and driver

Note: FCoE requires the Nexus Storage Protocols Services license (FC_FEATURES_PKG). This license is an option which

is activated when the Nexus switch is shipped from Cisco.

Guidelines

 Nexus switches must either bridge to native FC infrastructure or directly connect to FC/FCoE-based Storage devices.

Refer to the Cisco Nexus or Storage vendor interoperability Matrix.

 When bridged to a native FC infrastructure, it is mandatory to use Cisco MDS directors or fabric switches in order to

provide interoperability between fabrics.

 To increase the FCoE traffic identification and to better control the span of this traffic over the Ethernet network, it is

recommended to use different FCoE VLANs and VSANs numbers between the two fabrics.

 The FCoE VLAN should be dedicated to FCoE traffic (i.e. it should not carry IP traffic).

 The FCoE VLAN must not be configured as a native VLAN (the VLAN that carries untagged traffic on trunk ports, by

default VLAN 1).

 Interfaces connecting to VC must be configured as trunk ports and STP edge ports.

 For each Blade server, one vfc interface with MAC Binding must be defined because Virtual Connect is running in FIP

snooping mode.

 If you configure a port channel between the Nexus and MDS switch, ensure that a SAN port channel is created on the

MDS switch.

Virtual Connect configuration

Before you configure the upstream switches, Virtual Connect requires the creation of an Active/Active configuration of

two converged Shared Uplink Sets (SUS). Refer to the Virtual Connect configuration section.

If you need to improve the Ethernet traffic service level control, refer to the Quality of Service in the Virtual Connect

Domain section.