Cisco APIC Layer 2 Networking Configuration Guide, Release 6.2(x)

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Cisco APIC Layer 2 Networking Configuration Guide, Release 6.2(x)

Deploying EPG Access to vFC Ports Using the APIC GUI

Updated: July 7, 2026

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The Topic Describe the Deploying EPG Access to vFC Ports Using the APIC GUI

After you have configured ACI fabric entities to support FCoE traffic and F port and NP port functioning of designated interfaces, your next step is to configure EPG access to those ports.

Before you begin

  • The ACI fabric is installed.

  • A Fibre Channel Forwarding (FCF) switch, connected to a FC network (for example, SAN storage), is physically attached by Ethernet to an ACI leaf switch port.

  • A host application that needs to access the FC network is physically attached by Ethernet to a port on the same ACI leaf switch.

  • Leaf policy groups, leaf profiles, interface policy groups, interface profiles, and Fibre Channel domains have all been configured to support FCoE traffic.

Procedure

  1. Under an appropriate tenant configure an existing bridge domain to support FCoE or create a bridge domain to support FCoE.

    Option: Actions
    To configure an existing bridge domain for FCoE

    1. Click Tenant > tenant_name > Networking > Bridge Domains > bridge_domain_name.

    2. In the Type field of the bridge domain's Properties panel, click fc.

    3. Click Submit.
    To create a new bridge domain for FCoE

    1. Click Tenant > tenant_name > Networking > Bridge Domains > Actions > Create a Bridge Domain.

    2. In the Name field of the Specify Bridge Domain for the VRF dialog, enter a bridge domain name.

    3. In the Type field of Specify Bridge Domain for the VRF dialog, click fc.

    4. In VRF field select a VRF from the drop-down or click Create VRF to create and configure a new VRF.

    5. Finish the bridge domain configuration.

    6. Click Submit.

  2. Under the same tenant, configure an existing EPG or create a new EPG to associate with the FCoE-configured bridge domain.

    Option: Actions
    To associate an existing EPG

    1. Click Tenant > <tenant_name> > Application Profiles > <application_profile_name> > Application EPGs > <epg_name>.

    2. In the QoS class field choose the quality of service (Level1, Level2, Level4, Level5, or Level6) to assign to traffic generated by this EPG.

      If you configured one of the QoS levels for priority-flow control no-drop congestion handling and you want FCoE traffic handled with no-dropped packet priority, assign that QoS level to this EPG.

    3. In the Bridge Domain field of the EPG's Properties panel, click the drop-down list and choose the name of a bridge domain configured for Type: fcoe.

    4. Click Submit.

      Note

      If you change the Bridge Domain field, you must wait 30-35 seconds between changes. Changing the Bridge Domain field too rapidly causes vFC interfaces on the NPV Switch to fail and a switch reload must be executed.
    To create and associate a new EPG

    1. Click Tenant > <tenant_name> > Application Profiles > <application_profile_name> > Application EPGs.

    2. Right-click Application EPGs and click Create Application EPG.

    3. In the QoS class field choose the quality of service (Level1, Level2, Level4, Level5, or Level6) to assign to traffic generated by this EPG.

      If you configured one of the QoS levels for priority-flow control no-drop congestion handling and you want FCoE traffic handled with no-dropped packet priority, assign that QoS level to this EPG.

    4. In the Bridge Domain field of the Specify the EPG Identity dialog, click the drop-down list and choose the name of a bridge domain configured for Type: fcoe.

      Note

      If you change the Bridge Domain field, you must wait 30-35 seconds between changes. Changing the Bridge Domain field too rapidly causes vFC interfaces on the NPV Switch to fail and a switch reload must be executed.

    5. Finish the bridge domain configuration.

    6. Click Finish.

  3. Add a Fibre Channel Domain association with the EPG.

    1. Click Tenant > <tenant_name> > Application Profiles > <application_profile_name> > Application EPGs > <epg_name> > Domains (VMs and Bare Metal).
    2. Right-click Domains (VMs and Bare Metal) and click Add Fibre Channel Domain Association.
    3. In the Add Fibre Channel Domain Association dialog, locate the Fibre Channel Domain Profile Field.
    4. Click the drop-down list and choose the name of the Fibre Channel domain that you previously configured.
    5. Click Submit.

  4. Under the associated EPG define a Fibre Channel path.

    The Fibre Channel path specifies the interfaces enabled as FCoE F ports or NP ports to be associated with the selected EPG.

    1. Click Tenant > <tenant_name> > Application Profiles > <application_profile_name> > Application EPGs > <epg_name> > Fibre Channel (Paths).
    2. Right-click Fibre Channel (Paths) and click Deploy Fibre Channel.
    3. In the Deploy Fibre Channel dialog configure the following settings:
    Option: Actions
    Path Type The type of interface (Port, Direct Port Channel, or Virtual Port Channel) being accessed for sending and receiving FCoE traffic.
    Path The Node-interface path through which FCoE traffic associated with the selected EPG will flow.

    Click the drop-down list and choose from the listed interfaces. .

    Note
    Choose only the interfaces previously configured as F ports or NP ports. Choosing interfaces that you did not configure causes only default values to apply to those interfaces.
    Note

    To deploy FCoE over FEX, select the FEX ports previously configured.
    VSAN

    The VSAN which will use the interface selected in the Path field.

    Note

    The specified VSAN must be in the range of VSANs that was designated for the VSAN pool.

    In most cases, all interfaces that this EPG is configured to access must be assigned the same VSAN, unless you specify a Fibre Channel path over a Virtual Port Channel (VPC) connection. In that case, you can specify two VSANs, one for each leg of the connection.
    VSAN Mode

    The mode (Native or Regular) in which the selected VSAN accesses the selected interface.

    Every interface configured for FCoE support, requires one VSAN and only one VSAN configured for Native mode. Any additional VSANs assigned to the same interface must access it in Regular mode.
    Pinning label

    (Optional) This option applies only if you are mapping access to an F port and it is necessary to bind this F port with a specific uplink NP port. It associates a pinning label (pinning label 1 or pinning label 2) with a specific NP port. You can then assign that pinning label to the target F port. This association causes the associated NP port to serve in all cases as the uplink port to the target F Port.

    Choose a pinning label and associate it with an interface configured as an NP port.

    This option implements what is also referred to as "traffic-mapping."

    Note

    The F port and the associated Pinning Label NP port must be on the same Leaf switch.

  5. Click Submit.

  6. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for every FCoE enabled interface to which you are mapping EPG access.

  7. Verify successful deployment, as follows:

    1. Click Fabric > Inventory > Pod_name > leaf_name > Interfaces > VFC interfaces.
    The interfaces on which you deployed ports are listed under VFC Interfaces.

What to do next

After you have set up EPG access to the vFC interfaces, the final step is to set up the network supporting the FCoE initialization protocol (FIP), which enables discovery of those interfaces.

For more information, see Deploying EPG Access to vFC Ports Using the APIC GUI.