Setup Guide

Data Center Bridging (DCB)
Data center bridging (DCB) refers to a set of enhancements to Ethernet local area networks used in data center environments,
particularly with clustering and storage area networks.
Topics:
• Ethernet Enhancements in Data Center Bridging
• Enabling Data Center Bridging
• Data Center Bridging: Default Configuration
• Configuring Priority-Based Flow Control
• Configuring PFC in a DCB Map
• Applying a DCB Map on a Port
• Configuring PFC without a DCB Map
• Configuring PFC Asymmetric
• Priority-Based Flow Control Using Dynamic Buffer Method
• Shared headroom for lossless or PFC packets
• Behavior of Tagged Packets
• Configuration Example for DSCP and PFC Priorities
• SNMP Support for PFC and Buffer Statistics Tracking
• Performing PFC Using DSCP Bits Instead of 802.1p Bits
• PFC and ETS Configuration Examples
• Using PFC to Manage Converged Ethernet Traffic
• Operations on Untagged Packets
• Generation of PFC for a Priority for Untagged Packets
• Configure Enhanced Transmission Selection
• Hierarchical Scheduling in ETS Output Policies
• Using ETS to Manage Converged Ethernet Traffic
• Applying DCB Policies in a Switch Stack
• Configure a DCBx Operation
• Verifying the DCB Configuration
• QoS dot1p Traffic Classification and Queue Assignment
• Configuring the Dynamic Buffer Method
• Sample DCB Configuration
Ethernet Enhancements in Data Center Bridging
The following section describes DCB.
The device supports the following DCB features:
• Priority-based flow control (PFC)
• Enhanced transmission selection (ETS)
To configure PFC, ETS, and for DCB, refer to Sample DCB Configuration for the CLI configurations.
DCB refers to a set of IEEE Ethernet enhancements that provide data centers with a single, robust, converged network to support
multiple traffic types, including local area network (LAN), server, and storage traffic. Through network consolidation, DCB results in
reduced operational cost, simplified management, and easy scalability by avoiding the need to deploy separate application-specific
networks.
For example, instead of deploying an Ethernet network for LAN traffic, include additional storage area networks (SANs) to ensure lossless
Fibre Channel traffic, and a separate InfiniBand network for high-performance inter-processor computing within server clusters, only one
DCB-enabled network is required in a data center. The Dell EMC Networking switches that support a unified fabric and consolidate
multiple network infrastructures use a single input/output (I/O) device called a converged network adapter (CNA).
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