Cisco UCS X-Series Modular System – Cisco Describing Cisco UCS Components

Cisco UCS X-Series Modular System The Cisco UCS X-Series Modular system, shown in Figure 16-17, is the latest generation of the Cisco UCS. Here are the major new features:    Figure 16-17 Cisco UCS X-Series Modular System The new Cisco UCS X9508 chassis provides a new and adaptable substitute for the first generation of the […]

Cisco IOM Product Overview – Cisco Describing Cisco UCS Components

Cisco IOM Product Overview Cisco UCS 2200 Series Fabric Extenders, shown in Figure 16-9, bring the unified fabric into the blade server enclosure, providing multiple 10-Gigabit Ethernet connections between blade servers and the Fabric Interconnect, simplifying diagnostics, cabling, and management. This series is a second-generation I/O module (IOM) that shares the same form factor as […]

Cisco UCS B-Series Servers – Cisco Describing Cisco UCS Components

Cisco UCS B-Series Servers The Cisco UCS B-Series blade servers have also gone through multiple generations. At the time of writing this chapter, the current generations available are the fifth (M5) and the sixth (M6). The Cisco UCS servers either have a two-CPU socket mainboard or a four-CPU socket mainboard. To distinguish between them and […]

Zoning Management – Cisco Describing VSANs and Fibre Channel Zoning

Zoning Management When managing the zoning configuration, you need to be aware of some additional guidelines, options, and recommendations. Therefore, before working on the zoning configuration, consider the following: Two types of zones are supported on the Cisco MDS switches. Up until now, we have discussed the regular zones. The other type is the default […]

FLOGI Process – Cisco Fibre Channel Protocol Fundamentals

FLOGI Process After the N_Port and the F_Port are physically connected, the negotiations at the physical layer are successful, and the electrical parameters are in sync, the link negotiation and the registration to the fabric start. This is the FLOGI process, which can be described as the initial bootstrap process that occurs when an N_Port […]

PLOGI Process – Cisco Fibre Channel Protocol Fundamentals

PLOGI Process After a successful FLOGI process, the N_Port can communicate in the switched fabric. This means sending FC frames to another FC node. That other FC node (either an initiator or target) is connected to the fabric through an N_Port as well. As you already know, FCP is a protocol that is focused on […]

FCoE Configuration – Cisco Describing FCoE

FCoE Configuration The FCoE protocol is currently supported on the following Cisco switches: The “References” section provides the links to the data sheets of the Cisco switches and linecards that support the FCoE protocol. The Cisco Nexus 5000, Cisco Nexus 5500, and the Cisco Nexus 6000 Series switches supported the FCoE. These models are end […]

Fabric Shortest Path First – Cisco Fibre Channel Protocol Fundamentals

Fabric Shortest Path First The FC Protocol uses Fabric Shortest Path First (FSPF) to provide the routing functions. This protocol establishes communication with the other switches in the switched fabric using a Hello protocol. The Hello protocol is also used for the FC switches to exchange the FSPF parameters and capabilities. The FSPF protocol maintains […]

Fibre Channel Flow Control – Cisco Fibre Channel Protocol Fundamentals

Fibre Channel Flow Control One of the major goals for the FC Protocol communication is to create a secure and reliable environment that allows all the FC frames to be received at the destination and to be received in the correct order. You saw how the whole FC switched fabric converges as well as how […]

VSAN Overview – Cisco Describing VSANs and Fibre Channel Zoning

VSAN Overview It’s very common to use the analogy of Ethernet’s VLANs when explaining FC VSANs. Certainly, there are a lot of similarities between the two, but do not forget that these are features of two very different communication protocols, so there are some fundamental differences. So, what is a VSAN, and why do you […]