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About FCIP
S e n d d o c u m e n t a t i o n c o m m e n t s t o m d s f e e d b a c k - d o c @ c i s c o . c o m .
About FCIP
The Fibre Channel over IP Protocol (FCIP) is a tunneling protocol that connects geographically
distributed Fibre Channel storage area networks (SAN islands) transparently over IP local area networks
(LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), and wide area networks (WANs). See
Figure 33-1 Fibre Channel SANs Connected by FCIP
Switch 1
FCIP uses TCP as a network layer transport.
For more information about FCIP protocols, refer to the IETF standards for IP storage at
Note
http://www.ietf.org. Also refer to Fibre Channel standards for switch backbone connection at
http://www.t11.org
To configure IPS modules or MPS-14/2 modules for FCIP, you should have a basic understanding of the
following concepts:
•
•
•
•
FCIP and VE Ports
Figure 33-2
(ISLs) and Cisco's enhanced ISLs (EISLs).
FCIP virtual E (VE) ports behave exactly like standard Fibre Channel E ports, except that the transport
in this case is FCIP instead of Fibre Channel. The only requirement is for the other end of the VE port
to be another VE port.
A virtual ISL is established over an FCIP link and transports Fibre Channel traffic. Each associated
virtual ISL looks like a Fibre Channel ISL with either an E port or a TE port at each end (see
Figure
Cisco MDS 9000 Family Configuration Guide
33-2
Switch 2
Fibre
Channel
fabric
IP router
(see FC-BB-2).
FCIP and VE Ports, page 33-2
FCIP Links, page 33-3
FCIP Profiles, page 33-4
FCIP Interfaces, page 33-4
describes the internal model of FCIP with respect to Fibre Channel Inter-Switch Links
33-2).
Virtual (E)ISL
Switch 3
WAN
IP router
Chapter 33
Configuring FCIP
Figure
33-1.
Switch 4
Fibre
Channel
fabric
OL-6973-03, Cisco MDS SAN-OS Release 2.x
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