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Mike_Fink
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IP over FC?

Does anyone know if it is possible to run IP over FC in an ESX environment? I know that the newer QLogic cards support this functionality, but I don't know if this is something supported by VMware. If it is not currently supported, can anyone speak to when support (if ever) will be expected?

Why on earth would you want to do this? Big FC infrastructure investment, no more IP ports, and a need/want to use NFS mounts from a storage device (without the ability to run all that traffic over the existing core/edge IP network).

Any help would be much appreciated!

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Mike_Fink
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Just bumping this to give it another chance to be answered. Also, here's the functionality that I am talking about (in Windows) for a QLogic HBA (this would allow me to mount NFS over a FC adapter, however, it appears to be dependent on the driver load in Windows):

This is exactly what I need; of course, in VMW instead of Windows.

Thanks!

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Texiwill
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Hello,

I know they are working on FC over IP

but IP over FC is not new, it depends on the physical switches being used, for example my gigE switches have gbic ports for fibre uplinks between them. As do many other physical switches. Fibre is not new for IP.

However FC over IP is also not new, but we are seeing the first generation of hybid cards come out. Generally in the past it was used to link SANs across many many miles.

If the Card is supported (listed on the HCL) then it is supported within ESX.


Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

CIO Virtualization Blog: http://www.cio.com/blog/index/topic/168354

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

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Edward L. Haletky
vExpert XIV: 2009-2023,
VMTN Community Moderator
vSphere Upgrade Saga: https://www.astroarch.com/blogs
GitHub Repo: https://github.com/Texiwill
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Mike_Fink
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Yeah, there's a big drive for FC over IP. I need the opposite, IP over FC.

What you are describing is IP over fiber (the physical medium), not over fibre channel (the protocol). Fibre channel is not a physical connection (it can run over fiber, copper, Molex, etc), it's a protocol (akin to IP, which can run over all different types of connections).

Thx!

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Texiwill
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Hello,

I have never heard of anyone doing the IP protocol on top of the FC protocol. If anyone is doing this it would be either Qlogic or Emulex. If such a device does exist then once more it would be on the HCL. If it requires a software driver to make happen, which I would imagine if its not based in hardware, then no it is not yet supported.


Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

CIO Virtualization Blog: http://www.cio.com/blog/index/topic/168354

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

--
Edward L. Haletky
vExpert XIV: 2009-2023,
VMTN Community Moderator
vSphere Upgrade Saga: https://www.astroarch.com/blogs
GitHub Repo: https://github.com/Texiwill
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