Solved: Re: Native FC and FCoE with ACI

SIMMN · ‎10-12-2022

Say I have a ACI v5.2 fabric. I want also to forward FCoE or native FC traffic through the leaf to my MDS SAN. I read through "Fibre Channel NVP" and "FCoE Connections" chapters in the configuration guide. The configuration steps seem pretty straight forward. But not the background information... here are some my confusing points (some might sound silly), admittly I am not anywhere close to be storage expert...

1. Does ACI support native FC connecting to end host's HBA? I think so but somehow the doc also sounds to me ACI only supports FCoE to endhost with native FC capability to SAN...

2. If ACI does support native FC to end host, within link below about FC NPV, it stated "A switch is in NPV mode after enabling NPV. NPV mode applies to an entire switch. Each end device connected to an NPV mode switch must log in as an N port to use this feature (loop-attached devices are not supported). ". This means if I want to forward native FC traffic through a ACI leaf, the entire leaf switch would be converted to FC and can not forward ethernet traffic?

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/dcn/aci/apic/5x/layer-2-configuration/cisco-apic-layer-2-networking-configuration-guide-52x/fc-npv-52x.html

3. According to the guide, "Feature-set fcoe-npv in ACI will be enabled automatically by default when the first FCoE/FC configuration is pushed.". Does this mean, no configuration is need to make ACI leaf switch as a NPV switch, other than the necessary FC/FCoE interface configuration?

4. If #2 is true, why does the guide also state "you can convert only one contiguous range of ports to Fibre Channel ports, and this range must be a multiple of 4, ending with a port number that is a multiple of 4."?

5. If I wanted to use FCoE on the existing links between my host and leaf switch, those leaf ports would be able to forward FCoE traffic, right?

Thanks!

qianjun · ‎11-10-2022

#5 Typical Scenario:

Host FCoE NIC -- ACI Leaf (NPV) -- MDS (NPIV) -- FC storage

Host HBA NIC -- ACI Leaf(NPV) -- MDS (NPIV) -- FC Storage

Host FCoE NIC -- ACI Leaf (NPV) -- MDS (NPIV) -- FCoE storage

what is your use case?

if Host FCoE NIC -- ACI Leaf (NPV) -- FCoE storage, do not work.

View solution in original post

abhjha2 · ‎11-09-2022

Hi,

It is not a native FC san Switch so it always rely on SAN switch for switching, Between no FC/FCoE traffic transit into Spine.

Please find the inline answer.

1. Does ACI support native FC connecting to end host's HBA?
[Cisco]: General Speaking, Yes, ACI support FC connect to HBA or FC Storage.

2. If ACI does support native FC to end host, within link below about FC NPV, it stated "(A switch is in NPV mode after enabling NPV. NPV mode applies to an entire switch. Each end device connected to an NPV mode switch must log in as an N port to use this feature (loop-attached devices are not supported). ". This means if I want to forward native FC traffic through a ACI leaf, the entire leaf switch would be converted to FC and can not forward ethernet traffic?
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/dcn/aci/apic/5x/layer-2-configuration/cisco-apic-layer-2-networking-configuration-guide-52x/fc-npv-52x.html#id_64647
[Cisco]: No, mix traffic supported, some port ethernet traffic, some port FC traffic.

3. According to the guide, "Feature-set fcoe-npv in ACI will be enabled automatically by default when the first FCoE/FC configuration is pushed.". Does this mean, no configuration is need to make ACI leaf switch as a NPV switch, other than the necessary FC/FCoE interface configuration?
[Cisco]: Currently, ACI only support NPV mode, not NPIV feature, so no additional configuration for NPV, only config in CCO guide required.

4. If #2 is true, why does the guide also state "you can convert only one contiguous range of ports to Fibre Channel ports, and this range must be a multiple of 4, ending with a port number that is a multiple of 4."?

5. If I wanted to use FCoE on the existing links between my host and leaf switch, those leaf ports would be able to forward FCoE traffic, right?
[Cisco]: Still need NPIV device (MDS or others) for FCoE or FC traffic

-----------------------------------------
If you find my reply solved your question or issue, kindly click the 'Accept as Solution' button and vote it as helpful.

You can also learn more about Cisco ACI through our live Ask the Experts (ATXs) session. Check out Cisco ACI ATXs Resources [https://community.cisco.com/t5/data-center-and-cloud-knowledge/cisco-aci-ask-the-experts-resources/ta-p/4394491] to view the latest schedule for upcoming sessions, as well as the useful references, e.g. online guides, FAQs.
-----------------------------------------

SIMMN · ‎11-09-2022

Thanks for the info but still unclear for me... especially for #5.

If ACI can function as NPV, why cannt I just have the FCoE device plug into leaf directly?

qianjun · ‎11-10-2022