S e n d d o c u m e n t a t i o n c o m m e n t s t o m d s f e e d b a c k - d o c @ c i s c o . c o m
13-2
Cisco MDS 9000 Family CLI Configuration Guide
OL-16184-01, Cisco MDS SAN-OS Release 3.x
Chapter 13 Configuring N Port Virtualization
About NPV
Figure 13-1
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 13-2
shows a more granular view of an NPV configuration at the interface level.
F-port
NP-port
VSAN
15
Blade Server 1
VS
AN
5
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
FC
FC
10.1.1
20.2.1
Target
10.5.2
10.5.7
VSAN 10
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