HP Virtual Connect 4Gb Fibre Channel Module for c-Class BladeSystem - Manual (Page 172)

Virtual Connect server profiles 172
IMPORTANT: Configuring Virtual Connect to assign server blade MAC addresses requires
careful planning to ensure that the configured range of MAC addresses is used once within the
environment. Duplicate MAC addresses on an Ethernet network can result in a server network
outage.
Each server blade Ethernet NIC ships with a factory default MAC address. The MAC address is a 48-bit
number that uniquely identifies the Ethernet interface to other devices on the network. While the hardware
ships with default MAC addresses, Virtual Connect can assign MAC addresses that override the factory
default MAC addresses while the server remains in that Virtual Connect enclosure.
Always establish control processes to ensure that a unique MAC address range is used in each Virtual
Connect domain in the environment. Reusing address ranges could result in server network outages caused
by multiple servers having the same MAC addresses.
If using Virtual Connect assigned MAC addresses, the following notes apply:
• Virtual Connect automatically assigns two MAC addresses to each VC-Enet connection in the server
profile, a primary address for the Ethernet NIC, and an iSCSI MAC address for use by multifunction
gigabit server adapters, such as the HP NC373m PCI Express Dual Port Multifunction Gigabit Server
Adapter. Only the primary MAC address is used by standard (not multifunction) Ethernet devices.
• If a server blade is moved from a Virtual Connect managed enclosure to a non-Virtual Connect
enclosure, the local MAC addresses on that server blade are automatically returned to the original
factory defaults.
• If a server blade is removed from a bay within a Virtual Connect domain and installed in another bay
in the same Virtual Connect domain or in a bay in a different domain, it is assigned the new set of
addresses appropriate for that server location.
• When FlexFabric adapters are in use, Virtual Connect assigns a MAC address to each FCoE connection
in the server profile.
Fibre Channel Settings (WWN Settings) screen
Use this screen to select World Wide Name ranges for server profiles.
Each server blade FC HBA mezzanine card ships with factory default port and node WWNs for each FC
HBA port. Each WWN is a 64-bit number that uniquely identifies the FC HBA port/node to other devices on
the network. While the hardware ships with default WWNs, Virtual Connect has the ability to assign WWNs
that override the factory default WWNs while the server remains in that Virtual Connect enclosure. When
configured to assign WWNs, Virtual Connect securely manages the WWNs by accessing the physical FC
HBA through the enclosure Onboard Administrator and the iLO interfaces on the individual server blades.
When assigning WWNs to FC HBA ports, Virtual Connect assigns both a port WWN and a node WWN.
Because the port WWN is typically used for configuring fabric zoning, it is the WWN displayed throughout
the Virtual Connect user interface. The assigned node WWN is always the same as the port WWN
incremented by one.
Virtual Connect assigns or migrates WWNs for server FC ports connected to HP Virtual Connect modules.
Virtual Connect also assigns WWNs to FC ports that are not connected to an I/O module because Virtual
Connect modules can be added later. Server FC ports connected to non-Virtual Connect modules retain the
server factory default WWNs.
Configuring Virtual Connect to assign WWNs in server blades maintains a consistent storage identity
(WWN) even when the underlying server hardware is changed. This method allows server blades to be
replaced without affecting the external Fibre Channel SAN administration.