1. Draining the Virtualization Swamp T11/08-554v0 2 October 2008 Bob Nixon (bob.nixon@emulex.com)bob.nixon@emulex.com

2. 2 October 2008 T11/08-554v0 Draining the Virtualization Swamp In the last few months, we have risen above the virtual alligators that have been biting us, and we architected a means of draining the swamp they inhabit…without bulldozing too much of the established neighborhood of terms, concepts, and specification text. A presentation in an FC-SW-5 interim meeting (Sep. 24, 2008) introduced that architecture into switches, and suggested a couple possible improvements. With attention to limiting collateral damage, here is how that improved architecture could be implemented in FC-FS-3.

3. 2 October 2008 T11/08-554v0 Today’s model

4. 2 October 2008 T11/08-554v0 Virtualize the node (vnode)

5. 2 October 2008 T11/08-554v0 Let the PN_Port actually be P(hysical)

6. 2 October 2008 T11/08-554v0 Provide a hook for link aggregation Plan now, we may want it soon!

7. 2 October 2008 T11/08-554v0 FC-2 Multiplexer sublevel: The sublevel in the Fibre Channel architecture that routes frames between FC-2V instances (e.g., VN_Ports) and one or more LCFs, based on the D_ID in the Frame_Header (see 9.5) and the VF_ID in the VFT_Header if there is a VFT_Header (see 10.2.4). FC_Port: A port that is capable of transmitting and receiving Fibre Channel frames according to the FC- 0, FC-1, FC-2P, FC-2M and FC-2V levels of the Fibre Channel architecture. An FC_Port contains at least one LCF and at least one VN_Port, and may contain other types of FC-2V instances (e.g., an F_Port Controller) (see FC-SW-5). Note: This standard does not specify the operation of more than one LCF in a single FC_Port. node: A physical entity containing one or more vnodes and one or more FC_Ports. All frames received at a node are terminated at some protocol level within that node. Node_Name: A Name_Identifier associated with a vnode (see clause 15 and FC-LS-2). PN_Port: An LCF in a node. VFT Tagging P(N/F)_Port: A P(N/F)_Port operating in an FC_Port that has enabled processing of Virtual Fabric Tagging Headers. vnode: A collection of one or more VN_Ports controlled by a level above FC-2. Definitions

8. 2 October 2008 T11/08-554v0 Architectural text The components of a Fibre Channel node are: the node, which is the physical container for the remaining objects in this list; one or more vnodes, each of which identifies a collection of one or more ULPs and their FC-4 mappings, an FC-3 level, and one or more Nx_Ports; one or more ULPs, which are application protocols carried over Fibre Channel; An FC-4 level with FC-4 mappings for each ULP onto the FC-3 functions offered by the vnode and the FC-2 functions offered by each VN_Port; one or more FC_Ports, each of which includes one or more VN_Ports and one or more PN_Ports; one or more VN_Ports, each of which is an independent end point for Fibre Channel communication; and one or more PN_Ports, each of which is an LCF that operates a Fibre Channel link. The architectural model of a Switch may be found in FC-SW-5.

9. 2 October 2008 T11/08-554v0 Impact: much less than I expected Glossary updates where needed Change node to vnode 25 in FC-FS-3 about 50 in FC-LS-2 (mostly in RNID/RLIR) none in FC-SW-5 and elsewhere FC-GS-6 is a future hook on which I am already caught Change PN_Port or its context in FC-LS-2 (08-379v1): 5 other than VF/NPIV (which is debatably OK) In FC-FS-3: 10 If Classes 1/6 are retained, it may be best to describe them as a function of FC-2M and the Fabric, not of PN_Port and the Fabric In FC-FS-3, several tens of changes.

10. 2 October 2008 T11/08-554v0 Back into that swamp, it’s almost dry!