Fibre Channel over Ethernet for FC Flex IO Modules
FCoE provides a converged Ethernet network that allows the combination of storage-area network (SAN)
and LAN traffic on a Layer 2 link by encapsulating Fibre Channel data into Ethernet frames.
The Fibre Channel (FC) Flex IO module is supported on Dell Networking Operating System (OS) MXL
10/40GbE Switch and M I/O Aggregator (IOA). The MXL and IOA switch installed with the FC Flex IO
module functions as a top-of-rack edge switch that supports converged enhanced Ethernet (CEE) traffic
— Fibre channel over Ethernet (FCoE) for storage, Interprocess Communication (IPC) for servers, and
Ethernet local area network (LAN) (IP cloud) for data — as well as FC links to one or more storage area
network (SAN) fabrics.
FCoE works with the Ethernet enhancements provided in Data Center Bridging (DCB) to support lossless
(no-drop) SAN and LAN traffic. In addition, DCB provides flexible bandwidth sharing for different traffic
types, such as LAN and SAN, according to 802.1p priority classes of service. DCBx should be enabled on
the system before the FIP snooping feature is enabled.
All of the commands that are supported for FCoE on the MXL and I/O Aggregator apply to the FC Flex IO
modules. Similarly, all of the configuration procedures and the settings that are applicable for FCoE on
the MXL and I/O Aggregator are valid for the FC Flex IO modules.
NPIV Proxy Gateway for FC Flex IO Modules
The N-port identifier virtualization (NPIV) Proxy Gateway (NPG) feature provides FCoE-FC bridging
capability on the M I/O Aggregator and MXL 10/40GbE Switch with the FC Flex IO module switch,
allowing server CNAs to communicate with SAN fabrics over the M I/O Aggregator and MXL 10/40GbE
Switch with the FC Flex IO module.
To configure the M I/O Aggregator and MXL 10/40GbE Switch with the FC Flex IO module to operate as
an NPIV proxy gateway, use the following commands:

NPIV Proxy Gateway Configuration on FC Flex IO Modules

The Fibre Channel (FC) Flex IO module is supported on the MXL 10/40GbE Switch and M I/O Aggregator
(IOA). The MXL and IOA switches, installed with the FC Flex IO module, function as a top-of-rack edge
switch that supports Converged Enhanced Ethernet (CEE) traffic — Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE)
for storage, Interprocess Communication (IPC) for servers, and Ethernet local area network (LAN) (IP
cloud) for data — as well as FC links to one or more storage area network (SAN) fabrics.
The N-port identifier virtualization (NPIV) proxy gateway (NPG) provides FCoE-FC bridging capability on
the MXL 10/40GbE Switch and M I/O Aggregator with the FC Flex IO module.
This chapter describes how to configure and use an NPIV proxy gateway on an MXL 10/40GbE Switch
and M I/O Aggregator with the FC Flex IO module in a (SAN.
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