Leveraging a Flex System environment: NPIV to FC SAN
Figure 8 shows an example of how a client can use the G8264CS for convergence in a Flex System environment.
This approach can help a client significantly reduces costs inside the chassis with a single adapter in the compute
node using CNA functionality, with a 10Gb Ethernet module, such as the SI4093/EN4093/EN4093R, in the chassis
(no FC adapter or switches necessary). The client can then use the G8264CS at the top of the rack or somewhere
else in the data center, breaking out the FC connections and connecting to the existing Brocade or Cisco SAN
switches, and then in to the storage devices.
Figure 8. Leveraging G8264CS in a Flex System environment
Table 9 summarizes the supported components.
Table 9. Components
Adapter
NIC mode
Transit
FCoE
switch
SAN
switch
Storage target
OS levels
LOM &
CN4054 4-
port adapter
(BE3)
pNIC, vNIC1,
vNIC2, or UFP
SI4093
EN4093
EN4093R
G8264CS
NPIV
mode
Brocade
or Cisco
SAN
Storwize V3700
Storwize V7000
SVC
DS3K/5K
DS8K
XIV
Tape
Win2008, WS2012, W@ 2012
NPIV, ESX 4/5/5.1/5.5,
VMware ESX 5.1/5.5 + NPIV
CN4058 -8-
port adapter
pNIC
RHEL 5/6/7, SLES 10/11
RHEL 5/6/7, SLES 11/12, AIX6/7,
VIOS 221/222, IBM I6/7 VIOS
RackSwitch G8264CS
21