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

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Figure 23: Cisco Nexus 5xxx switches operating as an NPV Gateway

N_Port

VF_Ports

VN_Port

FCoE

Gateway

Storage

Array

NP_Ports

NPIV

F_Port

F_Ports

Brocade

SAN Switch

(NPIV Enabled)

Native FC

Lossless Ethernet network

Dual-Hop FCoE

Nexus 5xxx

Series

(NPV Mode)

Virtual Connect

(FIP Snooping mode)

Server

(ENode)

Port Channel

Converged Ethernet/FCoE

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 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

 Since the Nexus is running in NPV mode, it is mandatory to connect the Nexus switches to a native FC SAN

infrastructure. This SAN infrastructure can be non-Cisco FC devices (e.g. Brocade, Qlogic switches). Refer to SPOCK for

supported upstream switches.

 FC/FCoE-based Storage targets cannot be connected to the Nexus switch when running in NPV mode.

 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.

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