Fibre Channel 10-gigabit Ethernet fabric configuration details

The system supports 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) fabric configuration. If any of the configuration rules are invalidated because a component in the fabric failed, the configuration is still supported until the failure can be corrected and configuration is returned to normal operation.

FCoE terms

A converged enhanced Ethernet (CEE) network supports lossless Ethernet fabric.

A Fibre Channel forwarder (FCF) switch has both 10 GbE ports and Fibre Channel (FC) ports. It provides both Ethernet switching capability and FC switching capability in a single switch.

A pure Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) switch has 10 GbE ports and FCoE switching capability. The terms FCF and FCoE switch are used interchangeably.

FCoE switch configuration

Follow these configuration guidelines for FCoE switches:

For the current list of supported hardware, refer to the following support site: https://datacentersupport.lenovo.com/

10 GbE configuration rules for FCoE

The system supports any 10 GbE fabric configuration that is supported by the fabric vendor. When you connect 10 GbE ports to a CEE network, follow these connectivity rules:
  • Connect 10 GbE ports on the system only to the CEE network that supports the DCBX protocol (802.1QAZ).
  • Connect 10 GbE ports directly to an FCF or FCoE switch. An intermediate Ethernet switch should not be placed between the 10 GbE port on the system and the FCF/FCoE switch. However, a 10 GbE pass-through module can be used between 10 GbE ports on the system and FCF if the pass-through module is transparent. Configure the fabric such that only one FCF is advertised 10 GbE port. If the system discovers more than one FCF switch per port, then any one FCF is chosen randomly. However, different ports can be connected to different FCFs.
  • Do not turn off the FCoE packet routing function on the FCF or FCoE switch to which the 10 GbE ports are connected. This typically occurs when the FCoE switch is configured in NPV mode.
  • Internode communication between two FCoE ports in the same I/O group should not cross ISLs.
  • Each 10 GbE FCoE port should have at least one path to all other nodes that are part of the same system.

Storage system connectivity over FCoE

All rules for FC back-end system connectivity apply to FCoE back-end storage.

Intersystem connectivity

The system supports the use of FCIP links for connecting long-distance systems that are used by Metro Mirror and Global Mirror.

Zoning rules

The FCoE fabric should employ the same set of zoning rules as the Fibre Channel fabric.

FC and FCoE mixed fabrics

The system supports the use of mixed fabrics for communication between nodes. The 10 GbE FCoE ports of one system can be zoned to the FC ports of another node that is part of the same system.