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jwbensley
Asked: 2012-09-07 06:25:08 +0800 CST

FCoE, on any Ethernet switch?

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I understand the concept of FCoE. I have looked at the Wikipedia page and looking at the layer 2 frame diagram, it looks like FCoE really should "just work" on any Ethernet switch, but is this really the case?

If so, what do switches like Cisco's Nexus 5k or 6120P offer that normal switches don't (in specific relation to FCoE)?

I am just using those two switches as examples. On the Nexus 5548UP page for example it says the following;

Unified ports that support traditional Ethernet, Fibre Channel (FC),and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE)

Well if FCoE runnins over regular Ethernet, that why does it support "Ethernet and Fibire Channel over Ethernet"?

This is why I am curious as to weather FCoE will run on any Ethernet switch and these switches just support "bonus" features, or if you do indeed require a specialist switch.

Thank you.

UPDATE

I have read on the Internet that FCoE will run on normal Ethernet devices but without DCB advanced features won't work, can anyone confirm if they have done this. Is it just "ill-advised" as opposed to flat out "won't work"?

ethernet

1 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    FCoE doesn't run over regular Ethernet though, it requires Data Centre Ethernet/Bridging - an evolution of Ethernet that is only current supported on a very limited number of, typically high-end, switches such as Cisco's Nexus range.

    THIS is a great, and surprisingly short, book that would pretty much tell you everything you'd need to know about the subject - I'd recommend it.

    Regarding your UPDATE question, it's not an 'ill-advised', it's a 'packets won't form so will not work' thing. The specific error you'd see would vary depending on your CNA and its drivers but essentially there's no successful L2/3 connection so that's the kind of errors you get.

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