The system supports 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE)
fabric configuration. If any of the configuration rules are invalidated because a component in the
fabric failed, the configuration is still supported until the failure can be corrected and
configuration is returned to normal operation.
FCoE terms
A converged enhanced Ethernet (CEE) network supports lossless
Ethernet fabric.
A Fibre Channel forwarder (FCF) switch has both 10 GbE ports and Fibre
Channel (FC) ports. It provides both Ethernet switching capability and FC switching capability
in a single switch.
A pure Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) switch has 10 GbE ports and
FCoE switching capability. The terms FCF and FCoE switch are used interchangeably.
FCoE switch configuration
Follow these configuration guidelines for FCoE
switches:
- On Lenovo Storage V3700 V2, Lenovo
Storage V3700 V2 XP, and Lenovo Storage V5030 systems, iSCSI function can be
configured and used simultaneously on 10 GbE ports. Four 10 GbE ports can be used
simultaneously for FCoE and iSCSI. Configure appropriate bandwidth sharing between these 2
protocols on the switch. However, for easier configuration and management, use different ports
for each protocol.
- Configure an FCoE switch that has system 10 GbE ports with appropriate priority group for
FCoE.
- Set the quality of service (QoS) setting to allow adequate bandwidth for FCoE traffic.
Provision sufficient bandwidth for application I/O traffic and internode system traffic between
nodes.
- Configure the FCoE switch to allow lossless traffic for FCoE data.
- Enable Jumbo frames for FCoE traffic.
- The system supports a maximum of 2 counterpart 10 GbE fabrics.
- The 10 GbE fabric can contain only supported components.
- Configure a maximum of 8 paths per volume.
- A node can have a maximum of 16 active (unmasked) logins to another node
For the current list of supported hardware, refer to the following support site: https://datacentersupport.lenovo.com/
10 GbE configuration rules for FCoE
The system supports any 10 GbE
fabric configuration that is supported by the fabric vendor. When you connect 10 GbE ports to a
CEE network, follow these connectivity rules:
- Connect 10 GbE ports on the system only to the CEE network that supports the DCBX protocol
(802.1QAZ).
- Connect 10 GbE ports directly to an FCF or FCoE switch. An intermediate Ethernet switch
should not be placed between the 10 GbE port on the system and the FCF/FCoE switch. However, a
10 GbE pass-through module can be used between 10 GbE ports on the system and FCF if the
pass-through module is transparent. Configure the fabric such that only one FCF is advertised
10 GbE port. If the system discovers more than one FCF switch per port, then any one FCF is
chosen randomly. However, different ports can be connected to different FCFs.
- Do not turn off the FCoE packet routing function on the FCF or FCoE switch to which the 10
GbE ports are connected. This typically occurs when the FCoE switch is configured in NPV
mode.
- Internode communication between two FCoE ports in the same I/O group should not cross
ISLs.
- Each 10 GbE FCoE port should have at least one path to all other nodes that are part of the
same system.
Storage system connectivity over FCoE
All rules for FC back-end system
connectivity apply to FCoE back-end storage.
Intersystem connectivity
The system supports the use of FCIP links for
connecting long-distance systems that are used by Metro Mirror and Global Mirror.
Zoning rules
The FCoE fabric should employ the same set of zoning rules
as the Fibre Channel fabric.
FC and FCoE mixed fabrics
The system supports the use of mixed fabrics
for communication between nodes. The 10 GbE FCoE ports of one system can be zoned to the FC
ports of another node that is part of the same system.