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Cisco SN 5428-2 Storage Router Software Configuration Guide
OL-4691-01
Chapter 1 Before Configuring SN 5428-2 Storage Router Software
FCIP Overview
Once configured, FCIP instances on each system become active and establish their connectivity via the
IP network. The storage devices in one SAN access the storage devices in the connected SAN using FC
frames, which are encapsulated in IP packets by the FCIP instance, and transmitted to the peer system.
The peer FCIP instance strips the IP packet data and passes only the FC frames over the FC interfaces
to the storage devices.
The peer systems deployed for FCIP must be configured to use the same protocol: TCP or raw. TCP
protocol uses standard TCP flow control and error recovery algorithms, and should be used if you require
a standards-based FCIP implementation or connect to a non-SN 5428-2 peer, such as the MDS 9000
Series system. Raw protocol uses a proprietary connection protocol, but provides more operational
control over flow control and error recovery than standard TCP/IP.
If the selected protocol is TCP, one FCIP instance must be configured as the TCP client; the other FCIP
instance must be configured as the TCP server. The only difference between FCIP instances configured
as TCP client and TCP server is which FCIP instance initiates the connection: the TCP client initiates
the connection.
FCIP transports FC frames between SANs by performing the following actions (Figure 1-15):
• Transporting FC frames between a SAN and an SN 5428-2 that is deployed for FCIP
• Encapsulating FC frames in IP packets and transporting the IP packets to a peer SN 5428-2 or
MDS 9000 Series system that is deployed for FCIP
• Receiving IP packets and transporting as FC frames between the peer SN 5428-2 or MDS 9000
Series system and a connected SAN
Note that FC traffic is carried over the IP network in such a way that the FC fabric and all FC devices on
the fabric are unaware of the presence of the IP Network.
Figure 1-15 FCIP Actions
FCIP Network Structures
This section describes typical FCIP network structures. In all of these examples, a management station
(not shown) manages the storage routers through an IP network connected to the management interface
and/or HA interface of each storage router.
IP
Transporting FC frames
between SAN and an
SN 5428-2 deployed
for FCIP.
Encapsulating FC frames
in IP packets and
transporting IP packets
to peer SN 5428-2.
Transporting FC
frames between
an SN 5428-2
deployed for FCIP
and SAN.
SN 5428-2 SN 5428-2
91008
FC hosts and
storage devices
FC hosts and
storage devices
SAN
SAN