7-3
Cisco MDS 9000 Family NX-OS Interfaces Configuration Guide
OL-29284-01, Release 6.x
Chapter 7 Configuring N Port Virtualization
Information About N Port Virtualization
Figure 7-2 Cisco NPV Fabric Configuration
While NPV is similar to N port identifier virtualization (NPIV), it does not offer exactly the same functionality. NPIV provides a means to assign multiple FC IDs to a single N port, and allows multiple applications on the N port to use different identifiers. NPIV also allows access control, zoning, and port security to be implemented at the application level. NPV makes use of NPIV to get multiple FCIDs allocated from the core switch on the NP port.Figure 7-3 shows a more granular view of an NPV configuration at the interface level.
Figure 7-3 Cisco NPV Configuration–Interface View
F-port
NP-port
VSAN15
Blade Server 1
VS
AN5
Blade Server 2
Blade Server n
20.5.1 Initiator
Can have
multiple uplinks
on different
VSANs
Up to 100
NPV switches
NPV Device uses
the same domains
as the NPV-core
switches
E-port (server port)
(no FL ports)
NPV-Core Switch
(MDS or 3rd party switch
with NPIV support)
Cisco Fabric Switch
for HP c-Class BladeSystem
Cisco Fabric Switch
for IBM BladeCenter
in a Blade Chassis
FC
FCFC
10.1.1 20.2.1
Target
10.5.2 10.5.7
VSAN 10
184639
NPV Device
184631
Host
Host
NPV Core Switch
NPIV enabled
F-Port
N-Port
N-Port
F-Port
NP-Port