- auto - If the user configured the port as auto, then the port
initialization scheme determines the mode of the port.
- F Port - In fabric port mode, an interface functions as a fabric port.
This port may be connected to a peripheral device (host or disk)
operating as an N port.
- FL Port - In fabric loop port mode, an interface functions as a fabric
loop port. This port may be connected to one or more NL ports
(including FL ports in other switches) to form a public arbitrated
loop.
- E Port - In expansion port mode, an interface functions as a fabric
expansion port. This port may be connected to another E port to
create an Inter-Switch Link (ISL) between two switches. E ports
carry frames between switches for configuration and fabric
management.
- FX Port - Interfaces configured as Fx ports can operate in either F
port or FL port mode. The Fx port mode is determined during
interface initialization depending on the attached N port or NL port.
This administrative configuration disallows interfaces to operate in
any other modefor example, preventing an interface to connect to
another switch.
- SD Port - In SPAN destination port mode, an interface functions as
a switched port analyzer (SPAN). The SPAN feature is specific to
switches in the Cisco MDS 9000 Family. It monitors network traffic
that passes though a Fibre Channel interface.
- TL Port - In translative loop port mode, an interface functions as a
translative loop port. It may be connected to one or more private
loop devices. TL port mode is specific to Cisco MDS 9000 family
switches and have similar properties as FL ports.
- ST Port - In the SPAN tunnel port (ST port) mode, an interface
functions as an entry point port in the source switch for the RSPAN
Fibre Channel tunnel. The ST port mode and the remote SPAN
(RSPAN) feature are specific to switches in the Cisco MDS 9000
Family. When configured in ST port mode, the interface cannot be
attached to any device, and thus cannot be used for normal Fibre
Channel traffic.
- TE Port - In trunking E port mode, an interface functions as a
trunking expansion port. It may be connected to another TE port to
create an Extended ISL (EISL) between two switches. TE ports are
specific to Cisco MDS 9000 family switches.
- B Port - While E ports typically interconnect Fibre Channel
switches, some SAN extender devices, such as Cisco's PA-FC-1G
Fibre Channel port adapter, implement a bridge port model to
connect geographically dispersed fabrics. The oper mode on this
port type is "read only" and it cannot be set.