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Table 126. FN IOM with the FC Flex IO module NPIV Proxy Gateway: Terms and Definitions (continued)
Term Description
FIP FCoE Initialization Protocol: Layer 2 protocol for endpoint discovery, fabric login, and
fabric association. FIP is used by server CNAs to discover an upstream FCoE switch
operating as an FCF. FIP keepalive messages maintain the connection between an FCoE
initiator and an FCF.
NPIV N-port identifier virtualization: The capability to map multiple FCoE links from
downstream ports to a single upstream FC link.
principal switch The switch in a fabric with the lowest domain number. The principal switch accesses the
master name database and the zone/zone set database.
DCB Maps
A Data Center Bridging (DCB) map is used to configure DCB functionality, such as PFC and ETS, on FN IOM with the FC Flex IO
module Ethernet ports that support CEE traffic and are DCBx-enabled, by default. For more information, on PFC and ETS, see
Data Center Bridging (DCB).
By default, no PFC and ETS settings in a DCB map are applied to FN IOM with the FC Flex IO module Ethernet ports when they
are enabled. On the FN IOM with the FC Flex IO module NPG, you must configure PFC and ETS parameters in a DCB map and
then apply the map to server-facing Ethernet ports (see the “Creating a DCB map" section).
FCoE Maps
An FCoE map is used to identify the SAN fabric to which FCoE storage traffic is sent. Using an FCoE map, the FN IOM with
the FC Flex IO module NPG operates as an FCoE-FC bridge between an FC SAN and FCoE network by providing FCoE-enabled
servers and switches with the necessary parameters to log in to a SAN fabric.
An FCoE map applies the following parameters on server-facing Ethernet and fabric-facing FC ports on the FN IOM with the FC
Flex IO module:
● The dedicated FCoE VLAN used to transport FCoE storage traffic.
● The FC-MAP value used to generate a fabric-provided MAC address.
● The association between the FCoE VLAN ID and FC fabric ID where the desired storage arrays are installed. Each Fibre
Channel fabric serves as an isolated SAN topology within the same physical network.
● The priority used by a server to select an upstream FCoE forwarder (FCF priority)
● FIP keepalive (FKA) advertisement timeout
NOTE:
In each FCoE map, the fabric ID, FC-MAP value, and FCoE VLAN must be unique. Use one FCoE map to access one SAN
fabric. You cannot use the same FCoE map to access different fabrics.
When you configure the FN IOM with the FC Flex IO module as an NPG, FCoE transit with FIP snooping is automatically enabled
and configured using the parameters in the FCoE map applied to server-facing Ethernet and fabric-facing FC interfaces (see FIP
Snooping on an NPIV Proxy Gateway).
After you apply an FCoE map on an FC port, when you enable the port (no shutdown), the NPG starts sending FIP multicast
advertisements on behalf of the FC port to downstream servers in order to advertise the availability of a new FCF port on
the FCoE VLAN. The FIP advertisement also contains a keepalive message to maintain connectivity between a SAN fabric and
downstream servers.
Configuring an NPIV Proxy Gateway
Prerequisite: Before you configure an NPIV proxy gateway (NPG) with the FC Flex IO module on the FN IOM, ensure that the
following features are enabled.
● DCB is enabled by default with the FC Flex IO module on the FN IOM.
● Autonegotiated DCBx is enabled for converged traffic by default with the FC Flex IO module Ethernet ports on all FN IOM.
FC Flex IO Modules
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