CHAPTER
7-1
Cisco MDS 9000 Family NX-OS Interfaces Configuration Guide
OL-29284-01, Release 6.x
7
Configuring N Port Virtualization
• Information About N Port Virtualization, page 7-1
• Guidelines and Limitations, page 7-8
• Configuring N Port Virtualization, page 7-10
• Verifying NPV Configuration, page 7-13
Information About N Port Virtualization
This section includes the following topics:
• NPV Overview, page 7-1
• N Port Identifier Virtualization, page 7-2
• N Port Virtualization, page 7-2
• NPV Mode, page 7-4
• NP Ports, page 7-5
• NP Links, page 7-5
• Default Port Numbers, page 7-6
• NPV CFS Distribution over IP, page 7-7
• NPV Traffic Management, page 7-7
• Multiple VSAN Support, page 7-8
NPV Overview
N port virtualization (NPV) reduces the number of Fibre Channel domain IDs in SANs. Switches
operating in the NPV mode do not join a fabric. They pass traffic between NPV core switch links and
end devices, which eliminates the domain IDs for these edge switches.
NPV is supported by the following Cisco MDS 9000 switches and Cisco Nexus 5000 Series switches
only:
• Cisco MDS 9124 Multilayer Fabric Switch
• Cisco MDS 9134 Fabric Switch
• Cisco MDS 9148 Multilayer Fabric Switch
