What is an FC initiator?

[HamR]

Simple question right? I do SIST zoning every other day but when I was asked this by a colleague recently, I said it resolved to the port or the wwpn, he suggested I was wrong and then proceeded to show me Cisco docs resolving it to be everything from a computer to an HBA and a port.

It seems the problem with a lot of the definitions is that they assume a server has one connection to one storage device and refer to the "consuming computer" as the initiator. Then there are the slightly more enlightened definitions that expose the mystical HBA as the initiator. But in my opinion, the initiator is what ends up in the zone, which is the wwpn - assuming soft-zoning.

What's the correct answer here?

TIA.

[Francesco Molino]

Hi

FC initiator is the one consuming the storage which means the one initializing the connection to this storage.

[HamR]

I appreciate your help Francesco, but you've really only echoed what I said.

Specifically, which object is the initiator?
a) The server consuming the storage.
b) The HBA.
c) The port on the HBA that is zone to the target.

Thanks.

[Francesco Molino · Accepted solution]

Sorry if I wasn't clear but the one consuming the store. The server is consuming the hardware using its HBA which is related to the wwn.

[HamR]

I consulted the Cisco Press for a definitive answer and found in the CCNA DC book on page 577, the "SCSI Controller" is classified as the initiator, which is consistent with the HBA. Thanks Francesco!

[Francesco Molino]

You're welcome