Technical information

69 EqualLogic Configuration Guide | Version 15.2 | August 2014

 PFC - Requires enabling PFC (no drop or lossless behavior) for iSCSI priority

 Switches: Configure dedicated TC/PG for iSCSI priority with allocated bandwidth and PFC enabled

for iSCSI priority

 Server NICs/CNAs: Adhere to TC/PG mapping for iSCSI priority and PFC for iSCSI priority (learned

from the switch)

Designing a converged network deployment with components that have no DCB support or partial DCB

support is not recommended for end-to-end converged I/O. Configurations with components that have

no DCB support or partial DCB support may result in loss of expected functionality or may be functional

without meeting the converged network objectives.

Note: It is not recommended to share network infrastructure with DCB and Non-DCB components.

For a complete list of components that support the DCB standards, see the: EqualLogic Compatibility

Matrix

Note: It is important to verify that all components in the SAN are listed in the EqualLogic Compatibility

Matrix as DCB Supported, or that the components support all EqualLogic requirements for DCB.

Links to DCB papers:

Data Center Bridging: Standards, Behavioral Requirements, and Configuration Guidelines with Dell

EqualLogic iSCSI SANs

: http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/storage/w/wiki/4396.data-center-

bridging-standards-behavioral-requirements-and-configuration-guidelines-by-sis.aspx

EqualLogic DCB Configuration Best Practices

http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/storage/w/wiki/4355.configuring-dcb-with-equallogic-

sans.aspx

Dell PowerEdge M1000e Blade Enclosure and EqualLogic PS Series SAN Design Best Practices Using

Force10 Switches

: http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/storage/w/wiki/4451.poweredge-m1000e-

blade-and-equallogic-ps-series-san-design-best-practices-using-force10-switches-by-sis.aspx

13.3 VLANs for iSCSI

A non-default VLAN is required for operating prioritized lossless iSCSI traffic in a DCB enabled Ethernet

infrastructure. Switch ports that are based on the IEEE 802.1Q VLAN specification forward frames in the

default or native VLAN without tags (untagged frames). Normally these ports also receive frames in the

default or native VLAN as untagged. Such a port is typically termed a “tagged port” or “trunk port” and all

non-default VLAN frames are forwarded with the tags intact. Since the DCB priority information (PCP

value) is encoded in the VLAN tag, this information will be lost if an end-device sends iSCSI traffic in a

default or native VLAN and the switch receives it in a tagged or trunk port. As a result, DCB prioritization

and traffic classification will be lost.