Configuring FCoE
This chapter describes how to configure Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) on a Cisco Nexus 5000 Series switch.
This chapter includes the following sections:
•About Fibre Channel over Ethernet
•Guidelines and Limitations
•Configuring FCoE
About Fibre Channel over Ethernet
Cisco Nexus 5000 Series switches support Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), which allows Fibre Channel and Ethernet traffic to be carried on the same physical Ethernet connection between the switch and the servers. FCoE requires the underlying Ethernet to be full duplex and to provide lossless behavior for Fibre Channel traffic.
FIP Initialization Protocol
The FCoE Initialization Protocol (FIP) allows the switch to discover and initialize FCoE-capable entities that are connected to an Ethernet LAN.
Guidelines and Limitations
When configuring FCoE, note the following guidelines and limitations:
•FCoE is supported on 10-Gigabit Ethernet interfaces.
•FCoE is not supported on private VLANs.
Configuring FCoE
This section describes how to configure FCoE on a switch and includes the following topics:
•Enabling FCoE
•Configuring FCoE Using Fabric Manager
•Configuring FCoE Using Device Manager
Enabling FCoE
Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) provides a method of transporting Fibre Channel traffic over a physical Ethernet connection. By default, each Ethernet interface attempts to enable FCoE by advertising that it has FCoE to the adapter. If the FCoE negotiation fails, you can configure the Cisco Nexus 5000 Series switch to disable FCoE for this interface.
Note In Cisco Nexus 5000 Series switches, FCoE is supported on all 10-Gigabit Ethernet interfaces.
To enable, or disable, FCoE features on a switch using Device Manager, follow these steps:
Step 1 Launch Device Manager from the Cisco Nexus 5000 Series switch.
Step 2 Choose Admin > Feature Control.
You see the Feature Control dialog box shown in Figure 7-1.
Figure 7-1 Feature Control Dialog Box
Step 3 In the dialog box, in the table, click the fcoe_mgr row, and then click the Action cell in the fcoe_mgr row. From the drop-down list, choose enable to enable the FCoE feature in the switch.
Note You can also disable the FCoE feature in the switch. To do so, from the drop-down list in the Action column, choose disable.
Step 4 Click Apply.
Note If the Cisco Nexus 5000 Series switch is running a Cisco NX-OS release prior to Release 4.2(1), you must do the following after you enable or disable FCoE on the switch:
· In the confirmation dialog box that appears, click Yes to enable the FCoE feature in the switch.
· Reboot the switch before you use the FCoE feature.
Configuring FCoE Using Fabric Manager
To configure FCoE on a switch using Fabric Manager, follow these steps:
Step 1 In the Physical Attributes pane, choose Switches > FCoE.
You see the FCoE information pane shown in Figure 7-2.
The Config tab displays the FCoE parameters for each Cisco Nexus 5000 Series switch that runs Cisco NX-OS Release 4.1(3) or later releases. Table 7-1 lists the FCoE parameters for a switch.
Figure 7-2 FCoE Information Pane
Table 7-1 FCoE Parameters
|
|
FC Map |
The FCoE Mac Address Prefix used to associate the FCoE Node (ENode). Default value is 0e:fc:00. |
Default FCF Priority |
The FCoE Initialization Protocol (FIP) priority value advertised by the FCF to ENodes by default. Default priority value is 128 seconds. |
FKA Advertisement Period |
The time interval at which FIP Keep Alive (FKA) messages are transmitted to the MAC address of the ENode. Default advertisement period is 8 seconds. |
Step 2 Double-click the relevant FCoE parameter for a switch, and modify the value of the parameter.
Step 3 In the Information pane toolbar, click the Apply Changes icon to save the changes.
Configuring FCoE Using Device Manager
To configure FCoE on a switch using Device Manager, follow these steps:
Step 1 Launch Device Manager from the Cisco Nexus 5000 Series switch.
Step 2 Choose FCoE > Config.
You see the FCoE Config dialog box shown in Figure 7-3.
The Config tab displays the FCoE parameters, such as FC Map, default FCF priority value, and FKA advertisement period, for each Cisco Nexus 5000 Series switch that runs Cisco NX-OS Release 4.1(3) or later releases. Table 7-1 lists the FCoE parameters for a switch.
Figure 7-3 FCoE Config Dialog Box
Step 3 Double-click the relevant FCoE parameter for a switch, and modify the value of the parameter.
Step 4 Click Apply to save the changes.