Can FC Virtual Connect be used as a switch?

[Ken Kleiner]

Hi, New to FC here. If I have a FC virtual connect module in our c3000 and it is cabled to a SAN, can I use one of the external ports on the VC to allow an external host to also see that SAN? I.E. is this also a switch?

Thanks.

[HEM_2 · Accepted solution]

Ken

unfortunately, no. The VC-FC modules are not SAN Switches. More than anything they are HBA Port Aggregators so connecting an external host up to VC-FC is not supported. VC-FC only supports being connected to SAN Switches that support NPIV on their connected ports.

[Ken Kleiner]

Hi, Does that also mean that there still needs to be a switch between the VCs and the MSA? I.E. cannot direct connect the VC port to the MSA?

Thanks again.

[HEM_2]

yes, VC-FC has to connect directly to a switch. Does the MSA have an embedded SAN switch?

[Ken Kleiner]

I don't think the MSA has a switch.

[Andrea Campiotti]

MSA switches are not supported by FC VC, see relase notes - compatibility matrix in firmware/product documentation.

[Terri Harris]

VC-FC requires SAN Switches that support NPIV. A Brocade switch must support at least 5.1, which is when Brocade introduced NPIV. The MSA 2/8 SAN switch supports only up to 3.x for the Brocade FOS/fw.