Solved: Fabric interconnect in FC Switch mode supports NPIV? Can anybody confirm?

Gustavo Novais · ‎04-08-2014

Hello,

I'm working on a scenario where a customer will be doing Direct Attach Storage to a UCS Pair of Fabric interconnects. He will also be needing to connect a FC-Based backup appliance to the FI's. As such we'll be running the FI's in FC Switch mode.

There is apparently a need that some VM's on the blades that will need to have virtual HBA's running in order to access their specific LUN's.

The question is if the Fabric interconnect (version 2.1(3b)) will support NPIV when running in FC switch mode. Neither the GUI or CLI Configuration guide mention this, and I don't have any FI to log into to verify.

Can anyone confirm this, either by pointing a URL where it may be specified or logging into a FI in FC Switch mode and doing:

connect nxos

sh feature

or show run | inc feature

and verify if feature npiv is enabled or not?

Thanks a lot for your help

Gustavo

Walter Dey · ‎04-08-2014

NPIV is by default enabled ! see screenshot below

Tanti saluti

Walter.

View solution in original post

Walter Dey · ‎04-08-2014

Ciao Gustavo

The FC switch implementation has limited functionality, compared to MDS and/or N5K. eg. it doesn't support any interop mode; therefore you can only connect your FI to a MDS/N5k based FC fabric, NOT any Brocade....

Regarding NPIV: I don't know of any command in the GUI/CLI which would allow you to enable/disable NPIV.

However you question is valid: different virtual hba's are connecting over the same link on the FI; therefore some kind of NPIV function must exist.

Gustavo Novais · ‎04-08-2014

Hi Walter,

I also think so, but I do need confirmation. do you have access to any FI in such situation, where a verification can be done?

Thanks

Walter Dey · ‎04-08-2014

NPIV is by default enabled ! see screenshot below

Tanti saluti

Walter.

Gustavo Novais · ‎04-08-2014

Excellent!

thank you very much for the confirmation!