Installing NPIV

[steve switzer]

Hi

My team leader has requested that i look into employing NPIV

in our environment.

However it seems to be inextricably linked in with NPV which

effectively makes the non core switches into HBA aggregators.

Is it possible to do NPIV with out using NPV - as it seems from

a brief perusal of the documentation that in order to use NPV

your existing config is wiped

Steve

[e.nieuwstad]

why would you like to enable npiv if you don't enable npv on some of the edge devices? There must be a reason your team lead wants to enable npiv

[m-donnelly]

Hi Steve,

Seth Mason talked about in this post:

https://supportforums.cisco.com/message/3571541#3571541

NPV and NPIV work great together, however you can enable NPIV without using NPV.

NPIV is just a way to allow many FC initiators to flogi into a switch on a single physical switch port. The reason I have NPIV enabled in my environment is for AIX LPARs using virtual wwn and being passed through the VIO servers physical HBA.

So in my case I'll see the burned in wwn from the VIO's HBA (fcs cards) and then a pile of virtual fabric connector (vfc) coming in on the same physical switch port with a wwn starting in c0:..

to enabled NPIV on NX-OS 5.x code (check your command reference guide on syntex):

'feature npiv'

to see what's logged in on your NPIV enabled switch:

'show flogi database'

look for ones that are on the same interface or do a 'show flogi database interface fc x/y' if you know the specific port with multiple initiators are logging into.

To enable NPIV is non-disruptive

To disable NPIV could be disruptive if you have any NPIV online that are currently using it.

I hope that help answer you question.

-marc

[steve switzer]

Hi

Sorry if i am asking some basic questions here but i am not that experienced with SANs -

Currently i have one fabric with mds 9124s as effectively the switches which connect into

the HBAs - 3 of these in turn connect into one mds 9134 which is I suppose the core switch.

So - i if wanted to use NPIV  would that mean that i enable NPV on the 9124s which would

then lose all their config and become just dumb HBE aggregators.

Then i assume that all the zones etc would be on the 9134 central switch.

Would all the zoning  be ok - as it is actually all on the 9134.

In order to use NPIV without NPV then wouldnt one just have the core switch directly connected

to the HBA s or am I reading this wrong ?

Thanks for the help  by the way

Steve

[cadayton]

NPIV and NPV are not dependent upon each other.  Search the community because there are existing posts that will help you understand the difference.

Enabling NPIV is non-disruptive and can be done as follows:

switch# config t

switch# enable NPIV

If host's HBA that is being virtualized has already been connected to the fabric prior to enabling NPIV,  it is likely the host may need to be rebooted before is will start using NPIV properly.  I know this to be true for AIX Virtual I/O server.