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
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Cisco MDS 9000 Family CLI Configuration Guide
OL-16184-01, Cisco MDS SAN-OS Release 3.x
Chapter 28 Configuring FICON
About FICON
MDS-Specific FICON Advantages
This section explains the additional FICON advantages in Cisco MDS switches and includes the
following topics:
•
Fabric Optimization with VSANs, page 28-3
•
FCIP Support, page 28-4
•
PortChannel Support, page 28-4
•
VSANs for FICON and FCP Mixing, page 28-5
•
Cisco MDS-Supported FICON Features, page 28-5
Fabric Optimization with VSANs
Generally, separate physical fabrics have a high level of switch management and have a higher
implementation cost. Further, the ports in each island may be over-provisioned depending on the fabric
configuration.
By using the Cisco MDS-specific VSAN technology, you can introduce greater efficiency between these
physical fabrics by lowering the cost of over-provisioning and reducing the number of switches to be
managed. VSANs also help you to move unused ports nondisruptively and provide a common redundant
physical infrastructure (see
Figure 28-2
).
Figure 28-2
VSAN-Specific Fabric Optimization
Separate physical fabrics
Collapsed fabric with
VSANs
SAN island for
department no.1
SAN island for
department no. 2
SAN island for
department no. 3
Application
servers
Disk
arrays
Department no. 1
Department no. 2
VSAN
Department no.3
VSAN
Common
storage pool
found among
VSANs
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