Data Switches support N_Port ID Virtualization.

IBM Sep 12, 2005

Press Release Summary:

TotalStorageÃ‚Â® SAN256B and TotalStorage SAN Switch Model M14 b-type directors support N_Port ID Virtualization (NPIV), which provides IBM System z9 109 Linux server support for up to 256 virtual device addresses on one physical switch port. It allows virtual addresses to be allocated without impacting existing hardware implementation. TotalStorage SAN Switch M14 director offers support for M14/M48 16-port, 4 Gbps Switch Blade.

Original Press Release:

N_Port ID Virtualization and 4 Gbps Capability Enhancements for IBM TotalStorage SAN B-Type Directors

At a glance The TotalStorage SAN b-type directors offer new enhancements: N_Port ID Virtualization for the IBM TotalStorage SAN256B and IBM TotalStorage SAN Switch M14 b-type directors IBM TotalStorage SAN Switch M14 director support for the M14/M48 16-port 4 Gbps Switch Blade for systems that support 4 Gbps throughput For ordering, contact: Your IBM representative, an IBM Business Partner, or IBM Americas Call Centers at 800-IBM-CALL (Reference: YE001). Overview The IBM TotalStorageÂ® SAN256B (2109-M48) and IBM TotalStorage SAN Switch Model M14 (2109-M14) b-type directors are enhanced to support N_Port ID Virtualization (NPIV). NPIV provides IBM System z9 109 (z9-109) Linux server support for up to 256 virtual device addresses on a single physical switch port (excluding Inter-Switch Links). It is designed to allow virtual addresses to be allocated without impacting the existing hardware implementation. The virtual port (called the NV_port) has the same properties as an N_port and is therefore capable of registering with all of the services in the fabric. Loop devices and NPIV are not supported on the same port simultaneously. Customers activating NPIV on IBM TotalStorage SAN256B or M14 directors can utilize the Fibre Channel Protocol (FCP) Virtualization for Linux on z9-109 servers to: Help improve I/O performance through improved resource sharing. Help simplify administration and management; multiple Linux images can access the same device via a shared FCP channel. Activation of NPIV requires Fabric OS Version 5, or higher. For additional details regarding NPIV on z9-109, refer to Hardware Announcement 105-241 , dated July 27, 2005. The IBM TotalStorage SAN Switch M14 now offers 4 Gbps industry-standard Fibre Channel (FC) switch capability for systems that support 4 Gbps throughput with the following new features: 16-port 4 Gbps Switch Blades 4 Gbps short wave SFP transceivers Planned availability dates September 16, 2005, for M14/M48 N_Port ID Virtualization (feature #4745) October 7, 2005, for 4 Gbps capability (feature #2414, #3416, #4444, and #9444)