1 – Introduction
QLogic FC Adapter NPIV Solution
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NPIV allows end users to effectively
virtualize
the Fibre Channel adapter
functionality such that each Virtual Machine (VM) running on a server can share a
pool of adapters, yet have independent access to its own protected storage. This
sharing enables administrators to leverage standard SAN management tools and
best practices, such as fabric zoning and LUN mapping/masking, and enables the
full use of fabric-based quality-of-service and accounting capabilities. It also
provides the most efficient utilization of the adapters in the server while ensuring
the highest level of data protection available in the industry.
NPIV allows a single physical FC adapter port to function as multiple logical ports,
each with its World Wide Port Name (WWPN), as shown in
Figure 1-1
.
Figure 1-1. N_Port ID Sharing
QLogic FC Adapter NPIV Solution
To complement Microsoft and other server virtualization software solutions,
QLogic has extended virtualization capabilities to the adapter hardware through
NPIV. All QLogic 2400 and 2500 series FC adapters implement and support NPIV.
QLogic provides support for creating, deleting, and managing NPIV ports through
its SANsurfer
®
FC HBA Manager or SANsurfer FC HBA Command Line Interface
(CLI) tool.
With the combined QLogic and Microsoft solution, storage administrators can
create virtual adapter ports within multiple zones and assign them to VMs for
migration without having to reconfigure any zoning or LUN masking settings. This
solution creates a virtualized network that is easier to manage and maintain. In
addition, support for Microsoft’s virtualization solutions combined with QLogic’s
adapter virtualization technologies further increase hardware utilization and
enables organizations to rapidly configure and deploy Virtual Machines.
Benefits of the QLogic NPIV solution include:
Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Increased Security and Flexibility
Simplified Virtualization Management
Higher Availability
