HP StorageWorks Fabric OS 5.2.x administrator guide (5697-0014, November 2009)

368 Configuring and monitoring FCIP tunneling
FCIP also supports:
• Configuration and management of GbE ports and the virtual ports, IP interfaces, and tunnels enabled
by GbE ports
• Compression and decompression of Fibre Channel frames moving through FCIP tunnels
NOTE: By default, the compression mode of Fibre Channel frames moving through FCIP tunnels is
off.
• Traffic shaping that adheres to a rate limit on a per tunnel basis
• FCIP tunnel/GbE port event notification
• Fibre Channel Routing Service capabilities over FCIP tunnels
FCIP licensing
To use FCIP, you must first install the FCIP license. Use the licenseShow command to verify the license is
present on both switches used in the FCIP tunnel. For details on obtaining and installing licensed features,
refer to Maintaining licensed software features, page 33.
FCIP Tunneling concepts
FCIP Tunneling introduces the following concepts (also refer to Figure 18 on page 289):
• Tunnel
An FCIP tunnel carries Fibre Channel traffic (frames) over IP networks such that the Fibre Channel fabric
and all Fibre Channel devices in the fabric are unaware of the presence of the IP network. Fibre
Channel frames “tunnel” through IP networks by dividing frames, encapsulating the result in IP packets
on entering the tunnel, and then reconstructing them as they leave the tunnel.
• GbE ports
Two GbE ports are available on the 400 MP Router and 4/256 SAN Director with a B-Series MP
Router blade. These ports support the FCIP feature with link speeds up to 1 Gbit/sec. Each GbE port
(ge0, ge1) supports up to eight FCIP tunnels, for a total of sixteen virtual ports that can be configured
as either VE_Ports, or VEX_Ports.
NOTE: The ports on the 400 MP Router and B-Series MP Router blade are initially persistently
disabled. Refer to Enable the persistently disabled ports, page 371 for information on enabling
these ports. You should configure FCIP and the FC-FC Routing Service before enabling the ports.
Refer to Using the FC-FC routing service, page 227 for details about configuring FC-FC Routing
Service.
• VE_Port
Special types of ports, called VE_Ports (virtual E_Port), function somewhat like an E_Port. The link
between an VE_Port and a VE_Port is called an
interswitch link (ISL). You can configure multiple ISLs
from a 400 MP Router or 4/256 SAN Director with an B-Series MP Router blade. After you configure
the VE_Ports on either two 400 MP Routers or 4/256 SAN Directors with the B-Series MP Router blade,
an FCIP connection is established between them. VE_Ports do not prevent fabric merging.
• VEX_Port
A VEX_Port enables FC-FC Routing Service functionality over an FCIP tunnel. VEX_Ports enable
interfabric links (IFLs) so that you can share storage and servers between fabrics without merging those
fabrics. You can have up to eight VEX_Ports per GbE on the 400 MP Router or 4/256 SAN Director
with an B-Series MP Router blade. A VEX_Port can only be connected to a VE_Port. VEX_Port to
VEX_Port tunnels are not supported. There is no trunking through GbE ports that have been configured
as VE_Ports or VEX_Ports.