HP Cisco MDS 8/24c HP Virtual Connect: Common Myths, Misperceptions, and Objec - Page 28

Q17: Can I mix VC 1/10 Gb-F, VC 1/10Gb, and VC Flex-10 in the same enclosure?

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uplink ports. Any VC uplink on any VC Ethernet module can be used to provide external connectivity for any downlink on any VC Ethernet module. Q9: I need more NICs on my server blades. If I add more VC Ethernet modules to add more downlink ports, am I required to use additional VC uplinks ports to provide connectivity for these new downlink ports? A9: No, you can add more VC Ethernet modules, stack them with the other VC Ethernet modules and the new downlink ports can be configured to use the uplinks on the existing VC-Enet modules. Any VC uplink on any VC Ethernet module can be used to provide external connectivity for any downlink on any VC Ethernet module. Q10: I noticed that the VC Ethernet module in interconnect bay 1 is the active Virtual Connect Manager and that the VC module in bay 2 is the standby. Does this mean that only the VC module in bay 1 is providing Ethernet connectivity for the server blades? A10: No. Regardless of which VC module is running the active Virtual Connect Manager, all VC modules can be used simultaneously to provide network connectivity. Q11: Does VC support iSCSI? A11: Yes VC is compatible with iSCSI. Since VC is a layer 2 device and iSCSI is an upper layer protocol, above TCP/IP, VC does not implement any features specific to iSCSI. However, VC can provide network connectivity for a server running iSCSI just like any other protocol. Q12: Why are failovers taking longer than expected to restore connectivity for the server blades (taking 20 seconds or longer)? A12: Make sure the upstream Cisco switch ports connected to the VC uplink ports are configured with PortFast enabled ("spanning-tree portfast" or "spanning-tree portfast trunk") Q13: Does VC interact with STP on my network? A13: No. VC uplink ports look just like server NIC ports (ex. Physical NIC ports on an ESX server) and VC does not support STP on the VC uplink ports. Q14: Should I expect BPDUs to be sent from the VC uplink ports to my external Cisco switch ports? A14: No. VC uplink ports do not transmit BPDUs. Q15: Can I extend any of my L3 routing protocols through the VC domain? A15: Since VC is a layer 2 device, it does not support any routing protocols. However, layer 3 routing protocols such as OSPF, RIP, RIP2, etc. can be used on the servers and operate transparently through VC. Q16: Can I configure transmit and receive load balancing NIC teaming with full redundancy throughout the VC domain? A16: Yes, only if you are using our Integrity blades with INP for Windows/Linux, APA for HP-UX, or Smart Load Balancing in Linux on x86. There are currently no solutions for Windows on x86. Q17: Can I mix VC 1/10 Gb-F, VC 1/10Gb, and VC Flex-10 in the same enclosure? A17: Yes. Great way to increase bandwidth while further minimizing cable and port usage. Just know that the VC Flex-10 modules will not support anything other than an adjacent Flex-10 I/O module in the peer I/O bay. Q18: Does VC support VMware and other OSs that support host-based VLAN tagging? A18: Yes. See appropriate sections above. Q19: Can I use third party branded SFPs and XFPs in a VC 1/10 Gb-F module? 28

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uplink ports.
Any VC uplink on any VC Ethernet module can be used to provide external connectivity for any
downlink on any VC Ethernet module.
Q9: I need more NICs on my server blades.
If I add more VC Ethernet modules to add more downlink ports, am
I required to use additional VC uplinks ports to provide connectivity for these new downlink ports?
A9: No, you can add more VC Ethernet modules, stack them with the other VC Ethernet modules and the new
downlink ports can be configured to use the uplinks on the existing VC-Enet modules.
Any VC uplink on any VC
Ethernet module can be used to provide external connectivity for any downlink on any VC Ethernet module.
Q10: I noticed that the VC Ethernet module in interconnect bay 1 is the active Virtual Connect Manager and that
the VC module in bay 2 is the standby.
Does this mean that only the VC module in bay 1 is providing Ethernet
connectivity for the server blades?
A10: No.
Regardless of which VC module is running the active Virtual Connect Manager, all VC modules can
be used simultaneously to provide network connectivity.
Q11: Does VC support iSCSI?
A11: Yes VC is compatible with iSCSI. Since VC is a layer 2 device and iSCSI is an upper layer protocol, above
TCP/IP, VC does not implement any features specific to iSCSI.
However, VC can provide network connectivity
for a server running iSCSI just like any other protocol.
Q12: Why are failovers taking longer than expected to restore connectivity for the server blades (taking 20
seconds or longer)?
A12: Make sure the upstream Cisco switch ports connected to the VC uplink ports are configured with PortFast
enabled (“spanning-tree portfast” or “spanning-tree portfast trunk”)
Q13: Does VC interact with STP on my network?
A13: No.
VC uplink ports look just like server NIC ports (ex. Physical NIC ports on an ESX server) and VC does
not support STP on the VC uplink ports.
Q14: Should I expect BPDUs to be sent from the VC uplink ports to my external Cisco switch ports?
A14: No.
VC uplink ports do not transmit BPDUs.
Q15: Can I extend any of my L3 routing protocols through the VC domain?
A15: Since VC is a layer 2 device, it does not support any routing protocols.
However, layer 3 routing protocols
such as OSPF, RIP, RIP2, etc. can be used on the servers and operate transparently through VC.
Q16: Can I configure transmit and receive load balancing NIC teaming with full redundancy throughout the VC
domain?
A16: Yes, only if you are using our Integrity blades with INP for Windows/Linux, APA for HP-UX, or Smart Load
Balancing in Linux on x86.
There are currently no solutions for Windows on x86.
Q17: Can I mix VC 1/10 Gb-F, VC 1/10Gb, and VC Flex-10 in the same enclosure?
A17: Yes.
Great way to increase bandwidth while further minimizing cable and port usage.
Just know that the
VC Flex-10 modules will not support anything other than an adjacent Flex-10 I/O module in the peer I/O bay.
Q18: Does VC support VMware and other OSs that support host-based VLAN tagging?
A18: Yes.
See appropriate sections above.
Q19: Can I use third party branded SFPs and XFPs in a VC 1/10 Gb-F module?