Storage VDC

This chapter contains the following sections:

Information About Storage VDC

You use a storage virtual device context (VDC) to separate LAN and SAN traffic on the same switch. A VDC allows you to maintain one physical infrastructure but separate logical data paths.

To achieve this configuration, you must perform the following tasks:

  • Create a dedicated storage VDC.

  • Allocate physical ports to the storage VDC. These can be either ports dedicated to only the storage VDC or ports that are shared between the storage VDC and one other VDC. Dedicated ports can be used to create either VFC E ports (VE ports) or F ports (VF ports). Shared ports can only be used for VFC F ports (VF ports).

Once you share the port to the storage VDC you can create a VFC F-port on top of the shared interface.You cannot modify some details of that port because it must match the underlying shared physical port. If you move the source port to another VDC or delete the VDC, the shared ports are deleted and you must reconfigure them.


Note

If the storage VDC restarts or is suspended, any shared Ethernet ports are shut down in the corresponding VDC. These ports come up automatically once the storage VDC is operational.

Configuring FCoE VDCs

Licensing an FCoE Module

You must associate an FCoE license with an FCoE module to configure FCoE. You need one license for each module configured for FCoE.

Before you begin

Ensure you have installed the correct license for FCoE.

SUMMARY STEPS

  1. configure terminal
  2. license fcoe module module-number
  3. (Optional) show license usage module-name
  4. (Optional) copy running-config startup-config

DETAILED STEPS

  Command or Action Purpose

Step 1

configure terminal

Example:

switch# configure terminal
swtich(config)#

Enters configuration mode.

Step 2

license fcoe module module-number

Example:

swtich(config)#  license fcoe module 2

Associates an FCoE license to a module.

Step 3

(Optional) show license usage module-name

Example:

swtich(config)# show license usage FCOE-N7K-F132XP
(Optional)

Displays the line card usage used by a storage VDC. For details on license packages, see Cisco NX-OS Licensing Guide.

.

Step 4

(Optional) copy running-config startup-config

Example:

swtich(config)# copy running-config startup-config
 (Optional)

Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.

Creating a Dedicated Storage VDC


Note

Commands from step 1 to step 7 are performed in the admin VDC.

Commands from step 8 to step 11 are performed in the storage VDC.

Before you begin

  • Ensure you have installed the correct license for FCoE.


Note

VE ports must exist on dedicated interfaces. VF ports can exist on either dedicated or shared interfaces.

SUMMARY STEPS

  1. configure terminal
  2. install feature-set fcoe
  3. system qos
  4. service-policy type network-qos policy-map name
  5. vdc vdc-name type storage
  6. allocate interface ethernet int-numb
  7. switchto vdc vdc-name
  8. feature lldp
  9. (Optional) feature lacp
  10. (Optional) show feature-set
  11. (Optional) copy running-config startup-config

DETAILED STEPS

  Command or Action Purpose

Step 1

configure terminal

Example:

switch# configure terminal
switch(config)#

Enters configuration mode.

Step 2

install feature-set fcoe

Example:

switch(config)# install feature-set fcoe

Installs the FCoE feature-set.

Step 3

system qos

Example:

switch(config)# system qos
switch(config-sys-qos)#

Enters system qos mode.

Step 4

service-policy type network-qos policy-map name

Example:

switch(config-sys-qos)#service-policy type network-qos default-nq-7e-policy

Enables no drop queue for FCoE class.

Note

 
The Cisco MDS 9250i Multiservice Fabric Switch follows a different naming convention which reflects how many ingress queues and egress queues are there in a policy. The name is different, but it is same as the MDS policy. 7e policy is default in MDS and Cisco MDS 9250i Multiservice Fabric Switch, hence it is not shown in show running-config command. The 7e policy is not default in Cisco Nexus 7000 Series Switches, hence it is shown in the show running-config command.

Step 5

vdc vdc-name type storage

Example:

switch(config)# vdc fcoe-vdc type storage
switch(config-vdc)#

Creates a dedicated storage VDC and enters VDC configuration mode. You can only enable storage features in a storage VDC. You do not need to allow the feature-set or enable it in the storage VDC because this process is handled automatically for a storage VDC.

Note

 

It is expected that, if feature-set fex is not enabled, "allocate share fex” will fail, on VDC reload. User has to un-configure the share and configure it back .

Step 6

allocate interface ethernet int-numb

Example:

switch(config-vdc)# allocate interface ethernet 2/1-2 
switch(config-if)#

Allocates interfaces to the storage VDC as a dedicated FCoE port. You must allocate all interfaces in the port group. You must configure these interfaces in switchport trunk mode as Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) edge ports.

Step 7

switchto vdc vdc-name

Example:


switch(config-vdc)# switchto vdc fcoe-vdc switchport
switch-fcoe-vdc#

Switches to the storage VDC.

Step 8

feature lldp

Example:

switch(config)# feature lldp

Enables the LLDP feature in the storage VDC.

Step 9

(Optional) feature lacp

Example:

switch(config)# feature lacp
 (Optional)

Enables the LACP feature in the storage VDC.

Step 10

(Optional) show feature-set

Example:


switch# show feature-set
Feature Set Name      ID        State
--------------------  --------  --------
fcoe                  2         enabled
fex                   3         disabled
switch#
(Optional)

Displays the status information about the feature-sets in this VDC.

Step 11

(Optional) copy running-config startup-config

Example:

switch# copy running-config startup-config
 (Optional)

Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.

Allocating the FCoE VLAN Range

Before you begin

  • Ensure you have installed the correct license for FCoE.

  • Ensure you are in the correct VDC.

SUMMARY STEPS

  1. configure terminal
  2. vdc vdc-name type storage
  3. allocate fcoe-vlan-range vlan-range [from vdcs vdc-name]
  4. (Optional) show vdc fcoe-vlan-range
  5. (Optional) copy running-config startup-config

DETAILED STEPS

  Command or Action Purpose

Step 1

configure terminal

Example:

switch# configure terminal
switch(config)#

Enters configuration mode.

Step 2

vdc vdc-name type storage

Example:

switch(config)# vdc fcoe-vdc type storage
switch(config-vdc)#

Enters VDC configuration mode. You can only enable storage feature in a storage VDC. You do not need to allow the feature-set or enable it in the storage VDC because this process is handled automatically for a storage VDC.

Step 3

allocate fcoe-vlan-range vlan-range [from vdcs vdc-name]

Example:

switch(config-vdc)# allocate fcoe-vlan-range 10-30

Allows the VLAN to be used in the storage VDC-I; and allocates the VLANs that can be used for FCoE and mapped to a VSAN. You can optionally allocate the VLANs from another VDC.

Step 4

(Optional) show vdc fcoe-vlan-range

Example:

switch(config-vdc)#  show vdc fcoe-vlan-range
(Optional)

Displays information about the VLAN range allocated for FCoE.

Step 5

(Optional) copy running-config startup-config

Example:

switch(config-vdc)# copy running-config startup-config
 (Optional)

Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.

Allocating Shared Interfaces

You can share interfaces between a storage VDC and another VDC.

Before you begin

  • Ensure you have installed the correct license for FCoE.

  • Ensure you are in the correct VDC.

  • Ensure any shared interfaces are from an F-series module.

  • Ensure you have allocated the FCoE VLAN range.

  • Interfaces can only be shared between the storage VDC and one other VDC.

    Note

    • For shared interface, ensure that LLDP feature is enabled in parent VDC also.

    • Only VF ports can exist on shared interfaces. VE ports must be on dedicated interfaces.

SUMMARY STEPS

  1. configure terminal
  2. interface if-range
  3. switchport mode trunk
  4. spanning-tree port type edge trunk
  5. no shutdown
  6. vdc vdc-name type storage
  7. allocate shared interface if-range
  8. (Optional) show vdc shared membership
  9. (Optional) switchto vdc vdc-name
  10. configure terminal
  11. feature lldp
  12. interface if-range
  13. no shutdown
  14. (Optional) show interface if-range
  15. (Optional) copy running-config startup-config

DETAILED STEPS

  Command or Action Purpose

Step 1

configure terminal

Example:

switch# configure terminal
switch(config)#

Enters configuration mode.

Step 2

interface if-range

Example:

switch(config)# interface ethernet 2/1

Enters interface configuration mode for the interface in the Ethernet VDC.

Step 3

switchport mode trunk

Example:

switch(config-if)# switchport mode trunk

Puts the Ethernet interface into trunk mode.

Step 4

spanning-tree port type edge trunk

Example:

switch(config-if)# spanning-tree port type edge trunk

Sets the interface to STP-type edge port to support STP Lite for loop prevention.

Step 5

no shutdown

Example:

switch(config-if)# no shutdown

Administratively enables the Ethernet shared interface.

Step 6

vdc vdc-name type storage

Example:

switch(config-if)# vdc fcoe-vdc type storage
switch(config-vdc)#

Enters VDC configuration mode.

Step 7

allocate shared interface if-range

Example:

switch(config-vdc)# allocate shared interface ethernet 2/1

Allocates interfaces that are shared with another VDC for FCoE traffic. You must allocate the shared interfaces to one of the VDC included in the FCoE VLAN allocation. You can only use the shutdown or the switchport trunk allowed vlan commands on shared interfaces in the storage VDC.

Step 8

(Optional) show vdc shared membership

Example:

switch(config-vdc)#  show vdc shared membership
(Optional)

Displays the interfaces that are shared for FCoE.

Step 9

(Optional) switchto vdc vdc-name

Example:

switch(config-vdc)# switchto vdc fcoe-vdc 
switch-fcoe-vdc#
(Optional)

Switches to the storage VDC.

Step 10

configure terminal

Example:

switch-fcoe-vdc# configure terminal
switch-fcoe-vdc(config)#

Enters configuration mode.

Step 11

feature lldp

Example:

switch-fcoe-vdc(config)# feature lldp

Enables the LLDP feature in the storage VDC.

Step 12

interface if-range

Example:

switch-fcoe-vdc(config)# interface ethernet 2/1

Enters interface configuration mode for the shared interface in the storage VDC.

Step 13

no shutdown

Example:

switch-fcoe-vdc(config-if)# no shutdown

Administratively enables the FCoE shared interface.

Step 14

(Optional) show interface if-range

Example:

switch-fcoe-vdc(config-if)#  show interface ethernet 2/1
(Optional)

Displays information about the shared interface.

Step 15

(Optional) copy running-config startup-config

Example:

switch-fcoe-vdc(config-if)# copy running-config startup-config
 (Optional)

Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.

Example: Storage VDC Configuration

Ethernet VDC Configuration

!Enable the interface to share: 
switch(config-sys-qos)# interface ethernet 2/1 

!Initially ethernet 2/1 is allocated to ethernet VDC
switch(config-if)# switchport
switch(config-if)# switchport mode trunk 

!Allocate resources in admin VDC: 
Switch(conf)# vdc storage fcoe_vdc
switch(config-if)# allocate fcoe-vlan-range 10-20 from vdc switch
switch(config-vdc)# allocate shared interface ethernet 2/1
Switch(conf)# show vdc shared membership

!Switch to storage VDC and bring up the shared interface: 
switch(config-vdc)# switchto vdc fcoe_vdc
switch-fcoe_vdc# configure terminal
switch-fcoe_vdc(config)# interface ethernet 2/1
switch-fcoe_vdc(config-if)# no shutdown

!A VFC interface is created on top of Ethernet interface. The VFC interface can be created in 2 ways: implicit and explicit. 
 
!Implicit: 
switch-fcoe_vdc(config)# interface vfc 2/1
switch-fcoe_vdc(config-if)# switchport mode f
 
!Explicit: 
switch-fcoe_vdc(config)# interface vfc2
switch-fcoe_vdc(config-if)# bind interface eth2/1
switch-fcoe_vdc(config-if)# switchport mode f

Note

Ethernet 2/1 must be from an F-series module.