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FCoE mixed with FC

You can connect hosts to both controllers in an HA pair. This connection is achieved using host FCoE initiators (CNAs) through FCoE switches to FCoE and FC mixed target ports.

The FCoE target adapter is also called a unified target adapter or UTA. Like the CNA in a host, the UTA supports both FCoE and regular Ethernet traffic.

You can have multiple FCoE and FC switches in the path between the initiator and target, up to the maximum hop count limit. To connect FCoE switches to each other, the switches must run a firmware version that supports Ethernet ISLs.

Note: The FCoE target expansion adapter port numbers (2a and 2b) and FC target port numbers (0b and 0d) are examples. The actual port numbers might vary, depending on the expansion slots in which the FCoE target expansion adapter and FC target expansion adapter are installed.
Figure 1. FCoE mixed with FC
Figure shows the 2a CNA ports on controllers 1 and 2 cabled to DCB switch 1. The 2b ports on controllers 1 and 2 are cabled to DCB switch 2. The DCB switches are each connected to an FC switch/fabric. The FC target port 4a on each controller is connected to switch/fabric 1, while the FC target port 4b on each controller is connected to switch/fabric 2. Multiple hosts have a connection to each DCB switch.

Attribute Value
Fully redundant Yes
Type of fabric Dual fabric
Different host operating systems Yes, with multiple-host configurations
FC/FCoE ports or adapters One to the maximum number of supported onboard FC ports per controller

One or more FCoE target expansion adapters per controller

At least one 4-Gb, 8-Gb, or 16-Gb FC target expansion adapter per controller

Multipathing required Yes
Type of configuration HA pair