Brocade Communications Systems 415 - Manual (Page 58)

44 Brocade Adapters Administrator’s Guide
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NPIV
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NPIV
N-Port ID Virtualization (NPIV) enables a single Fibre Channel protocol port to appear as multiple,
distinct ports. NPIV provides separate port identification within the fabric for each operating system
image (partition) behind the port, as if each operating system image had its own unique physical
port.
Each NPIV device has a unique virtual port ID (PID), port WWN, and node WWN. The virtual port has
the same properties as an N_Port and is therefore capable of registering with all services of the
fabric. In other words, multiple virtual devices emulated by NPIV appear no different than regular
devices connected to a non-NPIV port. The maximum number of virtual PIDs for an N_Port on a FC
switch is 255.
NPIV is available at the physical port level or at the virtual fabric level. If virtual fabric ports are
detected, then you cannot configure NPIV parameters at the physical port level. If virtual fabric
ports are deleted on the switch port side, the NPIV parameters can then be configured at the
physical port level. No settings are available for V_Ports from basic port configuration.