HP Virtual Connect: Common Myths, Misperceptions, and Objections, Second Edition

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#25: VC requires a separate web management window to manage each VC module..................... 14

#26: VC doesn’t support IGMP Snooping ............................................................................................... 14

#27: VC Fibre Channel doesn’t support nested NPIV ............................................................................ 14

#28: Virtualized MAC and WWN (NAT) features on some switches (for example, Cisco’s

FlexAttach feature) provide the same benefits as VC’s Managed MAC addresses and WWNs ...... 14

#29: DHCP Option 82 provides the same server redundancy features as Virtual Connect .............. 16

#30: VC-FC doesn’t provide login distribution and failover on FC uplinks to the SAN ...................... 17

#31: All VC-FC uplinks have to be connected to the same SAN fabric ............................................... 17

#32: VC-FC does not support Cisco’s VSAN or Brocades Virtual Fabric features ............................. 17

#33: VC implements an immature loop avoidance mechanism ............................................................ 18

#34: VC Uplink failures require re-convergence on the external network and may cause dropped

server sessions.............................................................................................................................................. 18

#35: Cisco’s N-Port Virtualization (NPV) or Brocade Access Gateway provide all the same

advantages as VC-FC.................................................................................................................................. 18

#36: Cisco VFrame Data Center provides the same capabilities as VC .............................................. 18

#37: VC Ethernet can’t be connected to Cisco 6500 switches using Virtual Switching System (VSS)

....................................................................................................................................................................... 19

#38: VC Ethernet does not support Unidirectional Link Detection (UDLD) ............................................ 19

#39: VC Ethernet only provides port counters on uplinks ...................................................................... 19

#40: QoS can provide the same functionality of VC Flex-10 ................................................................ 20

Unique Features Provided By HP Virtual Connect ........................................................................................ 20

Managed Server Identities.......................................................................................................................... 21

Internal Server Identity ............................................................................................................................ 21

External Server Identity ........................................................................................................................... 21

Preprovisioning Using Managed Server Identities ............................................................................... 21

“LAN Safe” Network Connectivity ............................................................................................................ 22

Consolidate Network Infrastructure with VC Flex-10 .............................................................................. 22

Server Adds, Moves, and Replacements are Transparent to LAN & SAN ........................................... 22

Summary of the Virtual Connect Capabilities .......................................................................................... 23

Additional Resources and References ........................................................................................................... 26

Appendixes ...................................................................................................................................................... 27

Appendix A: Frequently Asked Questions ................................................................................................ 27

Appendix B: Definitions .............................................................................................................................. 30