Fiber Channel on Nexus Switches

[ammartalal]

We have IBM TS4300 Tape Library that we would like to connect to our backup solution from Veeam (on 2 servers). The only available connection is an Fiber Channel 8Gb port (LC connector), and we have Nexus switches to connect it to. We need some information on what are the options we have for this, given the below: -

We have Nexus N9K-93180YC-FX & N9K-93180YC-FX3, which one should we use? Do these switches support Fiber Channel 8Gb?

Are we able to use FCoE in this case? and if we go with FCoE, do we need to connect the Servers & the Tape Library using FC SFPs or can we use 10G SFPs?

Is there any option to configure this Tape Library to be accessible via IP?

[jaton]

To connect your IBM TS4300 Tape Library to your Veeam backup servers using the available 8Gb FC port through Cisco Nexus switches, here are the considerations and options:

1. Compatibility of Nexus Switches (N9K-93180YC-FX and N9K-93180YC-FX3)

- Fiber Channel Support: The Cisco Nexus N9K-93180YC-FX and N9K-93180YC-FX3 are primarily Ethernet switches and do not natively support traditional Fiber Channel (FC) SAN connections. They are designed mainly for Ethernet and IP-based networking, so they don’t support direct 8Gb FC connectivity.

- FCoE (Fiber Channel over Ethernet) Capability: These Nexus switches do support FCoE, allowing Fiber Channel frames to run over Ethernet. However, to do this, your servers and tape library must be configured to communicate over FCoE instead of native Fiber Channel, and you’ll need compatible SFPs and adapters.

2. Using FCoE (Fiber Channel over Ethernet)

   - Connectivity with FCoE: For FCoE, both the servers and the tape library must use FCoE-capable adapters. This usually means using 10Gb Ethernet (or higher) connections, as FCoE encapsulates FC frames within Ethernet.

   - Required SFPs: Since FCoE uses Ethernet, 10G SFP+ modules (instead of 8Gb FC SFPs) would be required. Both your servers and tape library need compatible FCoE-capable adapters, such as **Converged Network Adapters (CNAs)**, which can handle both Ethernet and Fiber Channel traffic over Ethernet.

   - Limitations with the TS4300: The IBM TS4300 may not support FCoE natively, as most tape libraries are built for native FC or SAS connectivity. You would need to confirm with IBM if FCoE is supported on this model, but it’s generally uncommon.

3. Connecting the IBM TS4300 Tape Library with an FC SAN

   - Using a Dedicated Fiber Channel Switch: The most straightforward option is to add a dedicated Fiber Channel switch, such as a Brocade or Cisco MDS, that supports 8Gb FC. This FC switch would connect to your TS4300 and your Veeam servers (with 8Gb or compatible FC HBAs).

   - Direct FC Connection to Servers: If adding an FC switch isn’t an option, you could consider directly connecting the tape library to the FC HBA ports on your Veeam servers, although this limits expandability and flexibility compared to a dedicated SAN switch.

4. Accessing the Tape Library via IP

The IBM TS4300 Tape Library itself doesn’t support data access over IP for backups. Tape libraries typically operate over FC or SAS, and there’s no native option to present it as an IP-based device for backup purposes.

Summary of Options

- Preferred Solution: Use a dedicated FC switch for native FC connectivity. This provides stable, supported, and high-performance connectivity for your tape library.

- Alternative Solution with FCoE: If an FC switch isn’t an option and the TS4300 supports FCoE, use FCoE adapters (CNAs) with 10G Ethernet SFPs. Confirm with IBM if the TS4300 model supports FCoE.

- Direct Connection (if minimal): Directly connect the TS4300’s FC port to the FC HBA ports on your Veeam servers, if the number of connections required is minimal and you don’t need an FC switch.

Each option depends on the existing infrastructure, but a dedicated FC switch is usually the most efficient and straightforward for backup environments requiring high throughput and reliability.

[ammartalal]

I understand from Cisco's Data Sheet that N9K-93180YC-FX support FC, but I am not sure about N9K-93180YC-FX3. But am I able to connect the Tape Library using FC SFP and connect the servers using Ethernet SFPs and it would work? Or do they all have to be connected using FC SFPs?

[jaton · Accepted solution]

Yes, you can connect the IBM TS4300 Tape Library using FC SFPs (Fibre Channel Small Form-Factor Pluggables) and the servers using Ethernet SFPs, as long as you configure Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) correctly. Here’s how it works:

For your setup, the Nexus 93180YC-FX switch is particularly useful, as it supports native Fibre Channel connections, allowing you to connect the tape library directly with an FC SFP. The tape library communicates over traditional Fibre Channel, which this switch model can handle.

On the server side, you can connect them using Ethernet SFPs (such as 10Gb SFP+ modules) instead of FC SFPs. This setup relies on FCoE, which lets you send Fibre Channel traffic over Ethernet by encapsulating the FC frames in Ethernet packets. The servers need to have FCoE-capable network adapters to make this work, and the Nexus switch should be set up to manage FCoE traffic by bridging it with the Fibre Channel connection used by the tape library.

This mixed setup can work well, provided that:
1. The switch supports FCoE – the Nexus 93180YC-FX model does, but the FX3 might need verification for full compatibility with FCoE.
2. Your servers support FCoE – the network adapters in your servers should be capable of FCoE so they can communicate with the tape library over Ethernet.

With the right configurations, such as setting up VSANs (Virtual SANs) and VLANs to match up the Fibre Channel and Ethernet traffic, the switch can act as a bridge between the two. This allows your tape library to operate over Fibre Channel while your servers communicate over Ethernet using FCoE, giving you a flexible and efficient setup.

[jaton · Accepted solution]

The Cisco Nexus N9K-93180YC-FX3 does not support native Fibre Channel (FC) connections in the same way as traditional Fibre Channel switches or the Nexus 93180YC-FX. The N9K-93180YC-FX model has more flexible support for FC, including the ability to handle native Fibre Channel, which makes it suitable for direct FC connections. The N9K-93180YC-FX3, on the other hand, is primarily designed for Ethernet traffic and does not support native FC. However, it may be able to handle Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), depending on network setup and compatibility.