Server deployment typically requires that multiple administrative teams (for example, server and
storage teams) coordinate with each other to perform configuration tasks such as zone creation in
the fabric and LUN mapping and masking on the storage device. These tasks must be completed
before the server is deployed. Before you can configure WWN zones and LUN masks, you must find
out the physical port world wide name (PWWN) of the server. This means that administrative teams
cannot start their configuration tasks until the physical server arrives (and its physical PWWN is
known). Because the configuration tasks are sequential and interdependent across various
administrative teams, it may take several days before the server gets deployed in an FC SAN.

Dynamic Fabric Provisioning simplifies and accelerates new server deployment and improves
operational efficiency by using a fabric-assigned PWWN (FA-PWWN). An FA-PWWN is a “virtual” port
WWN that can be used instead of the physical PWWN to create zoning and LUN mapping and
masking. When the server is later attached to the SAN, the FA-PWWN is then assigned to the
server.

The FA-PWWN feature allows you to perform the following tasks:

•

Replace one server with another server, or replace failed HBAs or adapters within a server,
without having to change any zoning or LUN mapping and masking configurations.

•

Easily move servers across ports or Access Gateways by way of reassigning the FA-PWWN to
another port.

•

Use the FA-PWWN to represent a server in boot LUN zone configurations so that any physical
server that is mapped to this FA-PWWN can boot from that LUN, thus simplifying boot over SAN
configuration.