Brocade Network OS Administrator’s Guide v4.1.1 - Manual (Page 28)

Network
convergence
Data Center Bridging (DCB)-based lossless Ethernet service provides isolation between IP and
storage traffic over a unified network infrastructure. Multi-hop Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE)
allows an FCoE initiator to communicate with an FCoE target that is a number of hops away.
Refer to End-to-end FCoE on page 338 for more information about multi-hop FCoE.
In Network OS, all features are configured through a single, industry-standard command line interface
(CLI). Refer to the Network OS Command Reference for an alphabetical listing and detailed
description of all the Network OS commands.
Brocade VCS Fabric terminology
The following terms are used in this document.
Edge ports In an Ethernet fabric, all switch ports used to connect external equipment, including end stations,
switches, and routers.
Ethernet
fabric A topologically flat network of Ethernet switches with shared intelligence, such as the Brocade
VCS Fabric.
Fabric ports The ports on either end of an Inter-Switch Link (ISL) in an Ethernet fabric.
Inter-Switch
Link (ISL) An interface connected between switches in a VCS fabric. The ports on either end of the interface
are called ISL ports or Fabric ports. The ISL can be a single link or a bundle of links forming a
Brocade trunk. This trunk can either be created as a proprietary Brocade trunk, or a standard IEEE
802.3ad based link aggregation.
RBridge A physical switch in a VCS fabric.
RBridge ID A unique identifier for an RBridge, each switch has a unique RBridge ID. In commands, the
RBridge ID is used in referencing all interfaces in the VCS fabric. Refer to
Configuring a Brocade
VCS Fabric on page 148 for information about setting the RBridge ID.
VCS ID A unique identifier for a VCS fabric. The factory default VCS ID is 1. All switches in a VCS fabric
must have the same VCS ID.
WWN World Wide Name. A globally unique ID that is burned into the switch at the factory.
Introduction to Brocade VCS Fabric technology
Brocade VCS Fabric technology is an Ethernet technology that allows you to create flatter, virtualized,
and converged data center networks. Brocade VCS Fabric technology is elastic, permitting you to start
small, typically at the access layer, and expand your network at your own pace.
Brocade VCS Fabric technology is built upon three core design principles:
• Automation
• Resilience
• Evolutionary design
When two or more Brocade VCS Fabric switches are connected together, they form an Ethernet fabric
and exchange information among each other using distributed intelligence. To the rest of the network,
the Ethernet fabric appears as a single logical chassis.
Brocade VCS Fabric terminology
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