Nexus 5500 (UP) support for concurrent 10-G Ethernet and FC

[brian.k.clarke]

This is somewhat of a sanity-check message, since I know the device in question supports the customer connectivity requirements.

The customer will be deploying a new Nexus 5500/2200 fabric in the data center, and currently has Brocade Fibre-Channel switches in place for SAN connectivity. The Nexus 5500 can support FC SFPs, so the customer is asking if they can remove the Brocades (close to EoS) by simply adding FC SFPs to the Nexus 5K.  Th server Ethernet connections will uplink to the Nexus 5K/2K fabric, and the server FC connections would be transferred from the Brocade switches to the Nexus 5500s. Connectivity-wise, no problem - I'm concerned about other items, such as SAN zoning, etc. - features than the Brocades might provide that are outside the capabilities of the Nexus 5K switches.

Concerns/thoughts around this?

Thanks, folks.

[padramas]

Hello ,

Yes, Nexus 5500 series does perform all FC switch features.

Table 6

Fibre Channel and FCoE Features (Requires Storage Services License)

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/partner/prod/collateral/switches/ps9441/ps9670/data_sheet_c78-618603.html

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/datacenter/nexus5000/sw/san_switching/521n11/b_5k_SAN_Switching_Config_521N11_chapter_010.html

Padma