FI modes

[Amr Hafez]

Hi All 

I wanna know when I use the FI modes and which devices connected to the FI in each mode:

1- Ethernet end host mode or EHV

2- Ethernet Switching mode

3- FC end host mode or NPV 

4- FC switching mode

Thanks in advance

[Walter Dey]

Hi Amr

Default is: Ethernet EHM, FC NPV mode

95+ % of all UCS installations run in this mode.

only use case for changing default

FC or FCoE direct connection to FI requires FC switch mode

Etherent switching mode is highly not recommended; it introduces Spanning Tree with all the nice caveats.

FC NPV mode is the only mode that supports e.g. Interoperability with non Cisco FC switches, e.g. Brocade.

Hope that helps

Cheers Walter.

[Amr Hafez]

Hi Walter

I find the following info Is ir correct or not?

1- Ethernet EHM used when connecting a FI to L2 or L3 SW (Catalyst or Nexus)

2- FC NPV used when we connect FI to SAN SW  (MDS or Brocade ...etc)

3- Ethernet SW mode used when connecting FI to router or L3 SW also (but what is the differences?)

4- FC SW mode used when connecting FI with FC or FCoE direct atached or SAN storage

Is this info is right?

In special case if I connect EMC VNX 5200 (in the attached) directly to the FI FC port (8Gbps) what is the FI FC mode I must use (we do not use here a separate SAN SW) 

Amr

[Walter Dey · Accepted solution]

Hi Amr

1- Ethernet EHM used when connecting a FI to L2 or L3 SW (Catalyst or Nexus)

yes ! best practise is (if supported by switch) to create a vpc from each FI to North bound switch

2- FC NPV used when we connect FI to SAN SW  (MDS or Brocade ...etc)

yes

3- Ethernet SW mode used when connecting FI to router or L3 SW also (but what is the differences?)

Never use this mode !!!!!

4- FC SW mode used when connecting FI with FC or FCoE direct atached or SAN storage

yes ! with following restrictions

- if you only would like to connect to SAN, use 1);  4) doesn't support direct connection to non Cisco FC switches (no FC interop mode support)

- yes if direct attached FC and/or FCoE storage subsystem

- yes if FC or FCoE direct atached AND SAN storage (with restriction above)

In special case if I connect EMC VNX 5200 (in the attached) directly to the FI FC port (8Gbps) what is the FI FC mode I must use (we do not use here a separate SAN SW) 

FC Switch mode

Walter.

[Amr Hafez]

Thank you Walter 

you helped me so many

I appreciated u