vsphere-esxi-vcenter-server-55-storage-guide

vSphere StorageConfiguration Guidelines for Software FCoEWhen setting up your network environment to work with ESXi software FCoE, follow the guidelines andbest practices that VMware offers.Network Switch GuidelinesFollow these guidelines when you configure a network switch for software FCoE environment:• On the ports that communicate with your ESXi host, disable the Spanning Tree Protocol (STP). Havingthe STP enabled might delay the FCoE Initialization Protocol (FIP) response at the switch and cause anall paths down (APD) condition.The FIP is a protocol that FCoE uses to discover and initialize FCoE entities on the Ethernet.• Turn on Priority-based Flow Control (PFC) and set it to AUTO.VMware recommends that you use the following firmware on the FCoE switch:• Cisco Nexus 5000: version 4.1(3)N2 or higher.• Brocade FCoE switch: version 6.3.1 or higher.Network Adapter Best PracticesIf you plan to enable software FCoE adapters to work with network adapters, specific considerations apply.• Make sure that the latest microcode is installed on the FCoE network adapter.• If the network adapter has multiple ports, when configuring networking, add each port to a separatevSwitch. This practice helps you to avoid an APD condition when a disruptive event, such as an MTUchange, occurs.• Do not move a network adapter port from one vSwitch to another when FCoE traffic is active. If youneed to make this change, reboot your host afterwards.• If you changed the vSwitch for a network adapter port and caused a failure, moving the port back to theoriginal vSwitch resolves the problem.Set Up Networking for Software FCoE in the vSphere Web ClientBefore you activate the software FCoE adapters, you need to create VMkernel network adapters for allphysical FCoE NICs installed on your host.This procedure explains how to create a single VMkernel network adapter connected to a single FCoEphysical network adapter through a vSphere standard switch. If your host has multiple network adapters ormultiple ports on the adapter, connect each FCoE NIC to a separate standard switch. For more information,see the vSphere Networking documentation.NOTE ESXi supports the maximum of four network adapter ports used for software FCoE.Procedure1 Browse to the host in the vSphere Web Client navigator.2 Click Actions, and select All vCenter Actions > Add Networking.3 Select VMkernel Network Adapter, and click Next.4 Select New standard switch to create a vSphere standard switch.5 Under Unclaimed Adapters, select the network adapter (vmnic#) that supports FCoE and click Assign.Make sure to assign the adapter to Active Adapters.46 VMware, Inc.