HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Module User instructions

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Module
Overview
Page 1
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Module for c-Class BladeSystem
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Modules are the simplest, most flexible way to connect virtualized server blades to data
or storage networks. VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8 modules eliminate up to 95% of network sprawl at the server edge with one device
that converges traffic inside enclosures and directly connects to external LANs and SANs. Using Flex-10 and Flex-20 technology
with Fibre Channel over Ethernet and accelerated iSCSI, these modules converge traffic over high-speed 10Gb/20Gb connections to
servers with HPE FlexFabric Adapters. Each redundant pair of Virtual Connect FlexFabric modules provide eight adjustable
downlink connections ( six Ethernet and two Fibre Channel, or six Ethernet and two iSCSI or eight Ethernet) to dual-port
10Gb/20Gb
FlexFabric Adapters on each server. Up to twelve uplinks with eight Flexport and four QSFP+ interfaces, without splitter cables, are
available for connection to upstream Ethernet and Fibre Channel switches. Including splitter cables up to 24 uplinks are available for
connection to upstream Ethernet and Fibre Channel. VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8 modules avoid the confusion of traditional and other
converged network solutions by eliminating the need for multiple Ethernet and Fibre Channel switches, extension modules, cables
and software licenses. Also, Virtual Connect wire-once connection management is built-in enabling server adds, moves and
replacement in minutes instead of days or weeks.
Figure 1 Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Module Front Bezel
1. Module status 12. X1-X4 Flexports
2. Module locator (UID) 13. X7-X8 paired Flexports
3.
Q1-Q4 QSFP+ 40Gb ports
14.
X5-X6 paired Flexports
4. L/A 15. X8 port status
5. PID 16. X7 port status
6. FC mode 17. X6 port status
7.
Ethernet
18.
X5 port status
8. X1 port status 19. 4th 10Gb port status for QSFP+ Q4 in 4x10 mode
9. X2 port status 20.3rd 10Gb port status for QSFP+ Q4 in 4x10 mode
10.X3 port status 21. 2nd 10Gb port status for QSFP+ Q4 in 4x10 mode
11.X4 port status 22. 1st 10Gb port status for QSFP+ Q4 in 4x10 mode

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Overview
Page 2
What's New
•Virtual Connect v4.50 highlights for the Virtual Connect FlexFabric -20/40 F8 Module
−SR-IOV management allows assigning Virtual Functions to any Physical Functions.
−AOC splitter cables support
−Support for 10GBASE-T SFP+ transceivers supported on all native VC SFP+ interfaces
−Support for LLDP on FlexNIC downlink port
−Support for LLDP MIB on downlink ports
−Drop support for HP Virtual Connect 4Gb Fiber Channel Module – SKU- 409513-B22
Models
HPE
Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Module for c-Class BladeSystem 691367-
B21
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Module for c-Class BladeSystem with TAA
691367-B22

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Supported Products
Page
3
Compatibility
HPE BladeSystem c-Class Virtual Connect Firmware v4.50 and the HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Module support the
following hardware.
HPE Servers HPE ProLiant and Integrity server blades with their supported Ethernet adapters and the following server
blades with supported FlexFabric (integrated or mezzanine) and Flex-10 based Ethernet Adapters
HPE ProLiant and Integrity Server Blades
•HPE Integrity BL860c i2 Server Blade
•HPE Integrity BL860c i4 Server Blade
•HPE Integrity BL870c i2 Server Blade
•HPE Integrity BL870c i4 Server Blade
•HPE Integrity BL890c i2 Server Blade
•HPE Integrity BL890c i4 Server Blade
•HPE ProLiant BL280c G6 Server Series
•HPE ProLiant BL420c Gen8 Server Blade
•HPE ProLiant BL460c G6 Server Series
•HPE ProLiant BL460c G7 Server Series
•HPE ProLiant BL460c Gen8 Server Blade
•HPE ProLiant WS460C Gen8 Workstation Blade
•HPE ProLiant BL460c Gen9 Server Blade
•HPE ProLiant BL465c G7 Server Series
•HPE ProLiant BL465c Gen8 Server Blade
•HPE ProLiant BL490c G7 Server Series
•HPE ProLiant BL620c G7 Server Series
•HPE ProLiant BL660c Gen9 Server Blade
•HPE ProLiant BL680c G7 Server Series
•HPE ProLiant BL685c G7 Server Series
NOTE: BL860c and BL870c are not supported effective VC 4.30
HPE Network
Adapters
FlexFabric adapter:
•HPE FlexFabric 20Gb 2-port 650FLB Adapter
•HPE FlexFabric 20Gb 2-port 650M Adapter
•HPE FlexFabric 20Gb Dual-port 630FLB Adapter
•HPE FlexFabric 20Gb Dual-port 630FLB FIO Adapter
•HPE FlexFabric 20Gb Dual-port 630M Adapter
•HPE FlexFabric 10Gb-2 port 536FLB Adapter
•HPE FlexFabric 10Gb Dual-port 534FLB Adapter
•HPE FlexFabric 10Gb Dual-port 534M Adapter
•HPE NC553i 10Gb 2-port FlexFabric Converged Network Adapter
•HPE NC553m 10Gb Dual-port FlexFabric Adapter
•HPE NC551i Dual Port FlexFabric 10Gb Converged Network Adapter
•HPE NC551m 10Gb Dual-port FlexFabric Adapter
•
HPE FlexFabric 10Gb Dual-port 554M Adapter

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Supported Products
Page 4
•HPE FlexFabric 10Gb Dual-port 554FLB Adapter
Ethernet and Flex-10 Ethernet adapters:
•HPE NC530M 10Gb Flex-10 Dual-port Adapter
•HPE NC530FLB Flex-10 10Gb Dual-port Adapter
•HPE NC532m Dual-Port Flex-10 10GbE Multifunction BL-c Adapter
•HPE NC542m Dual-Port Flex-10 10GbE BLc Adapter
•HPE NC325m PCI Express Quad Port 1Gb server adapter
•HPE NC360m Dual-Port 1GbE BL-c Adapter
•HPE NC364m Quad-Port 1GbE BL-c Adapter
•HPE NC382m Integrated Dual-Port PCI Express Gigabit Server Adapter
•HPE Ethernet 1Gb Dual-port 361FLB Adapter
•HPE Ethernet 1Gb Quad-port 366M Adapter
•Flex-10 10Gb Dual-port 552M Adapter
NOTE: Consult individual server blade QuickSpecs for specific adapter support.
HPE BladeSystem c-
Class Enclosures
HPE BladeSystem c-Class c7000 Enclosure with Onboard Administrator
NOTE: VC FlexFabric modules are not supported in BladeSystem c3000 enclosures.
Virtual Connect
Firmware
Virtual Connect Firmware v4.50 is recommended with the following release sets for HPE ProLiant and HPE
Integrity environments.
HPE ProLiant Server Blades
•HPE Service Pack for ProLiant: Version SPP 2016.04.0 or greater
The HPE Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP) with HPE Smart Update Manager (HPE SUM) as the
deployment engine provides a comprehensive approach to firmware and system software
maintenance. The SPP is a comprehensive collection of firmware and system software components,
all tested together as a single solution stack that include drivers, agents, utilities, firmware packages
for HPE ProLiant servers, controllers, storage, blades and enclosures, and other options. It is available
on all supported HPE ProLiant Gen 8 servers (HPE ProLiant SL/ML/DL/BL 100, 200, 300, 500, 700,
900 servers, and HPE CloudSystem Matrix) in addition to earlier generation HPE ProLiant servers.
The SPP is released with most major HPE ProLiant server releases
To access the latest HPE Service Pack for ProLiant click here:
http://www.hp.com/go/server/service_packs/updates
•HPE Integrity Server Blades
To access latest HPE Smart Update Firmware, click here:
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/blades/integrity-release-sets.html
•HPE Integrity i4 Server Blades
−Recommended HPE Smart Update Firmware:
HPE Smart Update Firmware-HPE Integrity BL860c/870c/890c i4 System Firmware Bundle
for Linux/Windows, 44.01
To access latest HPE Smart Update Firmware, click here:
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/blades/integrity-release-sets.html

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Supported Products
Page 5
•HPE Integrity i2 Server Blades
HPE Smart Update Firmware-HPE Integrity BL860c/870c/890c i2 System Firmware Bundle for
Linux/Windows, 26.41
Supported Configurations
HPE BladeSystem c7000 Enclosure - Rear View
1.
Upper Fan System
5.
Interconnect Bays 7 / 8
2.
Interconnect Bays 1 /2
6.
On Board Administrator
3.
Interconnect Bays 3 / 4
7.
Lower Fan System
4.
Interconnect Bays 5 / 6
8.
Rear Redundant Power Complex
Mezzanines
c7000 Port Mapping
Port mapping differs slightly between full height and half height server blades due to the support for
additional Mezzanine cards on the full height version.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise has
simplified the processes of mapping Mezzanine ports to switch ports by
providing intelligent management tools via the Onboard Administrator and
HPE Insight Manager
Software. The Onboard Administrator Guide and Enclosure Setu
p and Installation Guide provide detailed
information on port mapping.

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Supported Products
Page 6
Half Height Server Blade
Full Height Server Blade
HPE
BladeSystem c7000 Enclosure
NOTE:
Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 modules are supported on c7000 enclosures with the following SKUs: 5XXXXX-
B21, 6XXXXX
-B21, and 7XXXXX-B21. Hewlett Packard Enterprise recommends a c7000 enclosure with a 10-fan configuration
when
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 modules are installed.
NOTE:
The following tables show a number of supported configurations for an HPE BladeSystem c7000 Enclosure with
Virtual Connect FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 Modules. Not all possible combinations are shown here. A maximum of 6 VC FlexFabric-
20/40 F8 modules are allowed in each enclosure. A total of 16 Ethern
et and 16 VC-FC type modules can be installed in a multi-
enclosure domain. Each FlexFabric module counts as one Ethernet and one VC
-FC module. Combinations of FlexFabric, VC-
Enet and VC
-FC modules are allowed as long as the 16-module limit for each module
type (Ethernet and FC) is not exceeded in
the domain.
NOTE:
If more than two VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Modules are installed in an enclosure, the ambient temperature cannot
exceed 30C or physical damage may result.
NOTE:
VC FlexFabric modules are not supported in HPE BladeSystem c3000 enclosures.
Interconnect Module Configurations Server Network
Adapters Used
[Bay 1]
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 ->
VC Flexfabric
-20/40 F8 or Empty
[Bay 2]
FlexFabric Adapter 10/20 LOM
[Bay 3]
Empty
->
Empty
[Bay 4]
[Bay 5]
Em
pty ->
Empty
[Bay 6]
[Bay 7]
Empty
->
Empty
[Bay 8]
[Bay 1]
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 ->
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 or Empty
[Bay 2]
FlexFabric Adapter 10/20 LOM
[Bay 3]
VC Flexfabric
-20/40 F8 ->
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 or Empty
[Bay 4]
FlexFabric Adapter 10/20
Mezzanine
[Bay 5]
Empty
->
Empty
[Bay 6]
[Bay 7]
Empty
->
Empty
[Bay 8]
[Bay 1]
VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8
->
VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8 or Empty
[Bay 2]
FlexFabric Adapter 10/20 LOM
[Bay 3]
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 ->
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 or Empty
[Bay 4]
FlexFabric Adapter 10/20

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Supported Products
Page 7
Mezzanine
[Bay 5]
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 ->
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 or Empty
[Bay 6]
FlexFabric Adapter 10/20
Mezzanine
[Bay 7]
Empty
->
Empty
[Bay 8]
[Bay 1]
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 ->
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8or Empty
[Bay 2]
FlexFabric Adapter 10/20 LOM
[Bay 3]
VC Flex
-10
VC Flex
-10/10D
VC FC
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-
port
->
->
->
->
VC Flex
-10 or Empty
VC Flex
-10/10D or Empty
VC FC or Empty
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-port or
Empty
[Bay 4]
Flex-10/Enet or
FC HBA or FlexFabric
Mezzanine
[Bay 5]
Empty
->
Empty
[Bay 6]
[Bay 7]
Empty
->
Empty
[Bay 8]
[Bay 1]
VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8
->
VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8 or Empty
[Bay 2]
FlexFabric Adapter 10/20 LOM
[Bay 3]
VC Flex
-10
VC Flex
-10/10D
VC FC
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-
port
->
->
->
->
VC Flex
-10 or Empty
VC Flex
-10/10D or Empty
VC FC or Empty
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-port or
Empty
[Bay 4]
Flex-10/Enet or
FC HBA or FlexFabric
Mezzanine
[Bay 5]
VC Flex
-10
VC Flex
-10/10D
VC FC
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-
port
->
->
->
->
VC
Flex-10 or Empty
VC Flex
-10/10D or Empty
VC FC or Empty
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-port or
Empty
[Bay 6]
Flex-10/Enet or
FC HBA or FlexFabric
Mezzanine
[Bay 7]
Empty
->
Empty
[Bay 8]
[Bay 1]
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 ->
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 or Empty
[B
ay 2]
FlexFabric Adapter 10/20 LOM
[Bay 3]
VC Flex
-10
VC Flex
-10/10D
VC FC
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-
port
->
->
->
->
VC Flex
-10 or Empty
VC Flex
-10/10D or Empty
VC FC or Empty
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-port or
Empty
[Bay 4]
Flex-10/Enet or
FC HBA or FlexFabric
Mezzanine
[Bay 5]
VC Flex
-10
VC Flex
-10/10D
VC FC
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-
port
->
->
->
->
VC Flex
-10 or Empty
VC Flex
-10/10D or Empty
VC FC or Empty
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-port or
Empty
[Bay 6]
Flex-10/Enet or
FC HBA or FlexFabric
Mezzanine
[Bay 7]
VC Flex
-10
VC Flex
-10/10D
VC FC3
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-
port
->
->
->
->
VC Flex
-10 or Empty
VC Flex
-10/10D or Empty
VC FC
3or Empty
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-port or
Empty
[Bay 8]
Flex-10/Enet or
FC HBA or FlexFabric
Mezzanine
[Bay 1]
Empty
->
Empty
[Bay 2]
[Bay 3]
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 ->
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 or Empty
[Bay 4]
FlexFabric Adapter 10/20
Mezzanine

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Supported Products
Page 8
[Bay 5]
Empty
->
Empty
[Bay 6]
[Bay 7]
Empty
->
Empty
[Bay 8]
[Bay 1]
VC Flex10
VC Flex
-10/10D
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-
port
->
->
->
VC Flex10 or Empty
VC Flex
-10/10D or Empty
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-port or
Empty
[Bay 2]
Flex-10/Enet or
FC HBA or FlexFabric
LOM
[Bay 3]
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 ->
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 or Empty
[Bay 4]
FlexFabric Adapter 10/20
Mezzanine
[Bay 5]
E
mpty ->
Empty
[Bay 6]
[Bay 7]
Empty
->
Empty
[Bay 8]
[Bay 1]
VC Flex
-10
VC Flex
-10/10D
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-
port
->
->
->
VC Flex
-10 or Empty
VC Flex
-10 or Empty
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-port or
Empty
[Bay 2]
Flex-10/Enet or
FC HBA or FlexFabric
LOM
[Bay 3]
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 ->
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 or Empty
[Bay 4]
FlexFabric Adapter 10/20
Mezzanine
[Bay 5]
VC Flex
-10
VC Flex
-10/10D
VC FC
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-
port
VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8
->
->
->
->
->
VC Flex
-10 or Empty
VC Flex
-10/10D or Empty
VC FC or Empty
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-port or
Empty
VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8 or Empty
[Bay 6]
Flex-
10/Enet, FC HBA or FlexFabric
Adapter 10/20 Mezzanine
[Bay 7]
Empty
->
Empty
[Bay 8]
[Bay 1]
VC Flex
-10
VC Flex
-10/10D
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-
p
ort
VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8
->
->
->
->
VC Flex
-10 or Empty
VC Flex
-10/10D or Empty
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-port or
Empty
VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8 or Empty
[Bay 2]
Flex-10/Enet LOM
[Bay 3]
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 ->
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 or Empty
[Bay 4]
FlexFabric Adapter Mezzanine
[Bay 5]
VC Flex
-10
VC Flex
-10/10D
VC FC
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-
port
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8
->
->
->
->
->
VC Flex
-10 or Empty
VC Flex
-10/10D or Empty
VC FC or Empty
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-port or
Empty
VC FlexFabric
-20/40 F8 or Empty
[Bay 6]
Flex-
10/Enet, FC HBA or FlexFabric
Adapter 10/20 Mezzanine
[Bay 7]
VC Flex
-10
VC Flex
-10/10D
VC FC
3
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-
port
->
->
->
->
VC Flex
-10 or Empty
VC Flex
-10/10D or Empty
VC FC
3or Empty
VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24
-port or
Empty
[B
ay 8]
Flex-
10/Enet, FC HBA or FlexFabric
Adapter Mezzanine
NOTE1:
Requires HPE ProLiant BL Gen8 server blades with FlexLOMs.
NOTE
2:Supports Ethernet only when connected to server blades without embedded Dual-Port FlexFabric10/20 Converged
Network Adapt
er.
NOTE
3
:
Requires full-height servers.

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Supported Products
Page 9
Required Cabling
NOTE: Direct Attach Copper cables listed in the options section below are fully supported by Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
HPE recommends use of these cables. If not identified as a "supported" DAC, VC will allow the connection to proceed if the
discovery process indicates the cable meets the following criteria: connector=copper pigtail; transceiver code=active cable or
passive cable; speed >=10Gb; length between 1m and 7m, inclusive. The connection is logged as an unsupported cable. Prior
to requesting support from HPE, a DAC from the supported list must be used to validate the issue.
Maximum Distances
Multimode OM1
62.5/125 micron
Multimode OM2
50/125 micron
Multimode OM3
50/125 micron
Singlem
ode
9 micron
SR
2
- 26m/33m
*
2 - 82m 2 - 300m
LR
2
-10km
LRM
0.5
- 220m 0.5 - 220m 0.5 - 220m
Table below lists distance for various cables types for Fibre Channel interface
Maximum Cable Distance (Meters) for Multi-mode Fiber Shortwave
Multimode Fiber Type
Fiber Channel Data Rate (Gbps) OM1 OM2 OM3 OM4
8Gbps
21m
50m
150m
190m
4Gbps 70m 150m 380m 400m
2Gbps 150m 300m 500m 500m
Stacking
Configuration
Stacking links are used to interconnect Virtual Connect Ethernet/FlexFabric Modules when using more than
one enclosure or when using more than two Virtual Connect Ethernet/FlexFabric Modules in a single
enclosure.. The following provides recommended configurations.
Interconnecting the modules allows all Ethernet NICs or CNAs on all server blades in the Virtual Connect
domain to have access to any Virtual Connect Ethernet uplink port. By using these module-to-module links, a
single pair of uplinks can be used as the data center Ethernet network connections for the entire Virtual
Connect domain, and allows any server blade to be connected to any Ethernet network.
For additional stacking configuration information go to: HPE Virtual Connect for c-Class BladeSystem Setup
and Installation Guide
(http://bizsupport1.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01732252/c01732252.pdf).
NOTE: Two (2) internal 20Gb links are provided between Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 modules
in horizontally adjacent bays.

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Mo
dule
Standard Features
Page
10
Product Features
Performance
•16 x 10/20Gb Ethernet downlinks to server blade NICs and FlexFabric Adapters
•Each 10/20Gb downlink supports up to 3 FlexNICs and 1 FlexHBA or 4 FlexNICs
•Each FlexHBA can be configured to transport either F
iber Channel over Ethernet/CEE or Accelerated
iSCSI protocol.
•Each FlexNIC and FlexHBA is recognized by the server as a PCIe physical function device with
adjustable speeds from 100Mb to 20Gb in 100Mb increments when connected to a 2-port FlexFabric
Converged Network Adapter or any Flex-10/20 NIC and from 1Gb to 20Gb in 100Mb increments
when connected to a Dual-Port FlexFabric 10/20Gb Converged Network Adapter or Dual-Port
FlexFabric 10/20Gb Converged Network Adapter
•8xSFP+ external uplink ports configurable as either 1/10Gb Ethernet or 2/4/8Gb auto-negotiating
Fibre Channel connections to external LAN or SAN switches
•4xQSFP+ external uplink ports configurable as 1x40Gb or 4x10Gb Ethernet connected to external
LAN switches
•Extended list of direct attach copper cable connections supported
•2 x 20Gb dedicated internal cross connects for redundancy and stacking
•HBA aggregation on FC configured uplink ports using ANSI T11 standards-based N_Port ID
Virtualization (NPIV) technology
•Allows up to 255 virtual machines running on the same physical server to access separate storage
resources
•Low latency (1.0 µs Ethernet ports and 1.8 µs Enet/Fibre Channel ports) throughput provides switch-
like performance.
•Line-rate, full-duplex 1.2 Tbps bridging fabric
•MTU up to 9216 Bytes - Jumbo Frames
•Supports up to 128K L2 MAC entries
•VLAN Tagging, Pass-Thru and Link Aggregation supported on all uplinks
•In tunneled VLAN mode, up to 4,096 networks are supported per network uplink and server
downlink. In mapped VLAN mode, up to 1,000 networks are supported on network uplinks per
Shared Uplink Set, domain or module and on server downlinks up to 162 networks are supported per
10/20Gb physical port.
•Stack multiple Virtual Connect FlexFabric modules with other VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Modules
across up to 4 BladeSystem enclosures allowing any server Ethernet port to connect to any Ethernet
uplink
Management
•Integrated Virtual Connect Manager included with every module, providing out-of-the-box, secure
HTTP and scriptable CLI interfaces for individual Virtual Connect domain configuration and
management.
•Pre-configure server I/O configurations prior to server installation for easy deployment
•Move, add, or change server network connections on the fly without impacting LAN and SAN
administrator
Monitoring and management via industry standard SNMP v.1, v.2 and v.3
•Supported by Virtual Connect Enterprise Manager (VCEM) v7.3.2 and higher for centralized
connection and workload management for hundreds of Virtual Connect domains. Learn more at:
http://www.hp.com/go/vcem
•
CLI commands provide access to essential system status, resource utilization, MAC forwarding tables,

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Standard Features
Page 11
interfaces, and throughput to assist datacenter network troubleshooting
•Displays Fibre Channel and Ethernet port statistics via the VCM CLI, GUI and SNMP interfaces
•Port Mirroring on any uplink provides network troubleshooting support with Network Analyzers
•IGMP Snooping optimizes network traffic and reduces bandwidth for multicast applications such as
streaming applications
•LDAP, RADIUS, TACACS+ compatible role based authentication, authorization and accounting
•Recognizes and directs Server-Side VLAN tags
•Network access groups prevent enabling specific network combinations in the same server profile
•Provisioned storage resource is associated directly to a specific virtual machine - even if the virtual
server is re-allocated within the BladeSystem
•Server-side NPIV removes storage management constraint of a single physical HBA on a server
blade Does not add to SAN switch domains or require traditional SAN management
•Centralized configuration of boot from iSCSI or Fibre Channel network storage via Virtual Connect
Manager GUI and CLI
•Remotely update Virtual Connect firmware on multiple modules using Virt
ual Connect Support Utility
1.11.0 or greater
•CLI auto-filling with TAB key
•GUI and CLI session timeout for security
•QoS configurable based on DOT1P and DSCP
•Configurable filtering of multicast traffic
•sFlow Monitoring
Options
•Virtual Connect Enterprise Manager (VCEM), provides a central console for multiple VC domains
•Optional HPE 10Gb SFP+ SR, LR, and LRM modules and 10Gb SFP+ Copper cables in 0.5m, 1m, 3m,
5m, and 7m lengths
•Optional HPE 40Gb QSFP+SR, SR 300M and LR modules, 40Gb SFP+ DAC and AOC cables, 40Gb
DAC splitter cables and QSFP+ to SFP+ adapter
•Optional HPE 8 Gb SFP+ and 4 Gb SFP optical transceivers
•Supports all Ethernet-NICs, Flex-10 NICs and FlexFabric adapters for BladeSystem c-Class server
blades (Supported functionality defined by each adapter)
•Supports use with other VC modules within the same enclosure (VC Flex-10/10D and Flex-10
Ethernet Module, VC 4 and 8Gb Fibre Channel Modules).

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Mod
ule
Service and Support, HPE Care Pack and Warranty Information
Page
12
Service and Support
HPE Technology Services
When you purchase HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Modules for your HPE BladeSystem, it is also
good time to think about services. HPE Technology Services offers you technical consultants and support
expertise to solve your most complex infrastructure problems, giving you one call to make, fast answers, and
global reach. We help keep your business running, boost availability, and avoid downtime.
Protect your business beyond warranty with HPE Care Pack Services
HPE Care Pack services offer complete care and support expertise with committed response choices
designed to meet your IT and business needs.
HPE Foundation Care services offer scalable reactive support-packages for Hewlett Packard Enterprise
industry-standard servers and software. You can choose the type and level of service that is most suitable for
your IT and business needs. HPE
Foundation Care offers hardware and basic software support with enhanced
call management. If you are running business critical environments, Hewlett Packard Enterprise offers
Proactive Care. This service helps you deliver high levels of system availability through proactive service
management and advanced technical response.
Recommended HPE Care Pack Services for your HPE product
Optimized Care
3- Year HPE Foundation Care CTR
HPE Foundation Care Call-To-Repair Service connects you to HPE around the clock for assistance on
resolving issues -this includes our commitment to repair hardware within six hours after opening your case
and response to software questions within two hours.
https://www.hpe.com/h20195/V2/GetDocument.aspx?docname=4AA4-8876ENW
HPE Installation of ProLiant Add On Options Service
This easy-to-buy, easy-to-use HPE Care Pack service helps ensure that your new Hewlett Packard Enterprise
hardware is installed smoothly, efficiently, and with minimal disruption of your IT and business operations
Standard Care
3-Year HPE Foundation Care 24x7
HPE Foundation Care 24x7 connects you to HPE around the clock for assistance on resolving issues -
hardware onsite response within four hours and software call back within two hours after opening your case.
https://www.hpe.com/h20195/V2/GetDocument.aspx?docname=4AA4-8876ENW
HPE Installation of ProLiant Add On Options Service
This easy-to-buy, easy-to-use HPE Care Pack service helps ensure that your new Hewlett Packard Enterprise
hardware is installed smoothly, efficiently, and with minimal disruption of your IT and business operations
Related Services
HPE Installation and Startup Service for HPE BladeSystem c-Class Enhanced Network
Provides for the configuration and testing of BladeSystem Ethernet interconnect switches and Virtual
Connect to facilitate proper implementation of network protocols and access to advanced features.
http://h20195.www2.hp.com/V2/GetPDF.aspx/4aa0-5969ENW.pdf
HPE Proactive Select Service
Provides a flexible way to purchase HPE best-in-class consultancy and technical services. You can buy
Proactive Select Service Credits when you purchase your hardware and then use the credits over the next 12

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Service and Support, HPE Care Pack and Warranty Information
Page 13
months.
http://h20195.www2.hp.com/V2/GetPDF.aspx/4AA2-3842ENN.pdf
Additional HPE Care Pack services can be found at: http://www.hp.com/go/cpc
Insight
Online/Insight
Remote Support
HPE Insight Remote Support provides 24 X 7 remote monitoring, proactive notifications, and problem
resolution. This comes at no additional cost with your HPE solution. Learn more about Insight Remote
Support http://www.hp.com/go/insightremotesupport and Insight Online
http://www.hp.com/go/insightonline
NOTE: Insight Remote Support is a prerequisite for Proactive Care. All components within a single HPE
BladeSystem enclosure must be at the same service level.
HPE Support Center
Personalized online support portal with access to information, tools and experts to support Hewlett Packard
Enterprise business products. Submit support cases online, chat with Hewlett Packard Enterprise experts,
access support resources or collaborate with peers. Learn more http://www.hp.com/go/hpsc
The HPE Support Center Mobile App allows you to resolve issues yourself or quickly connect to an agent for
live support. Now, you can get access to personalized IT support anywhere, anytime.
HPE Insight Remote Support and HPE Support Center are available at no additional cost with a Hewlett
Packard Enterprise warranty, HPE Care Pack or Hewlett Packard Enterprise contractual support agreement.
NOTE: HPE Support Center Mobile App is subject to local availability.
Parts and materials
Hewlett Packard Enterprise will provide HPE-supported replacement parts and materials necessary to
maintain the
covered hardware product in operating condition, including parts and materials for available
and recommended engineering improvements.
Parts and components that have reached their maximum supported lifetime and/or the
maximum usage limitations as set forth in the manufacturer's operating manual, product
QuickSpecs, or the technical product data sheet will not be provided, repaired, or replaced as
part of these services.
The defective media retention service feature option applies only to Disk or eligible SSD/Flash Drives replaced
by Hewlett Packard Enterprise due to malfunction.
Warranty
Server Blade Interconnect Limited Warranty includes 1 year Parts, 1 year Labor, 1-year on-site
support. Additional information regarding worldwide limited warranty and technical support is available at:
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/platforms/warranty/index.html
Service Coverage The HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Module for c-Class BladeSystem include 3 years 9x5 Next
Business Day hardware support. HPE Virtual Connect Enterprise Manager licenses include one year of 24x7
HPE Software Technical Support and Update Service.
If you have requirements for longer durations of service,
quicker response times or more comprehensive services, HPE Care Pack services for the HPE Virtual Connect
FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Module for c-Class BladeSystem is available to uplift or extend your coverage.
For more
information
To learn more on HPE ProLiant servers and HPE BladeSystem servers, please contact your Hewlett Packard
Enterprise sales representative or Hewlett Packard Enterprise Authorized Channel Partner. Or visit:

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Service and Support, HPE Care Pack and Warranty Information
Page 14
http://www.hp.com/services/bladesystem

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Related Options
Page
15
Copper Cables HPE BladeSystem c-Class 10GbE SFP+ to SFP+ 0.5m Direct Attach Copper Cable 487649-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 10GbE SFP+ to SFP+ 1m Direct Attach Copper Cable
487652-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 10GbE SFP+ to SFP+ 3m Direct Attach Copper Cable 487655-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 10GbE SFP+ to SFP+ 5m Direct Attach Copper Cable 537963-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 10GbE SFP+ to SFP+ 7m Direct Attach Copper Cable 487658-B21
NOTE: Not supported with Quad to SFP adapter (SKU: 720193-B21)
HPE C-series SFP+ to SFP+ Active Copper 7.0m Direct Attach Cable QK701A
HPE C-series SFP+ to SFP+ Active Copper 10.0m Direct Attach Cable QK702A
HPE X242 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 1m Direct Attach Copper Cable J9281B
HPE X242 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 3m Direct Attach Copper Cable
J9283B
HPE X242 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 7m Direct Attach Copper Cable J9285B
HPE X240 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 0.65m Direct Attach Copper Cable JD095C
HPE X240 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 1.2m Direct Attach Copper Cable JD096C
HPE X240 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 3m Direct Attach Copper Cable
JD097C
HPE X240 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 5m Direct Attach Copper Cable JG081C
HPE X240 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 7m Direct Attach Copper Cable JC784C
HPE X242 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 10m Direct Attach Copper Cable J9286B
NOTE: Not supported with Quad to SFP adapter (SKU: 720193-B21)
HPE X242 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 15m Direct Attach Copper Cable J9287B
NOTE: Not supported with Quad to SFP adapter (SKU: 720193-B21)
HPE X244 10G XFP to SFP+ 1m Direct Attach Copper Cable J9300A
HPE 10G X244 XFP to SFP+ 3m Direct Attach Copper Cable
J9301A
HPE 10G X244 XFP to SFP+ 5m Direct Attach Copper Cable J9302A
HPE C-Series SFP+ to SFP+ Copper 3.0m Direct Attach Cable AP784A
HPE C-Series SFP+ to SFP+ Copper 5.0m Direct Attach Cable AP785A
HPE B-series SFP+ to SFP+ Active Copper 1.0m Direct Attach Cable
AP818A
NOTE: Equivalent to Brocade 10Gbps Direct Attached SFP+Copper Cable - 1m (PN
XBR-TWX-0101).
HPE B-series SFP+ to SFP+ Active Copper 3.0m Direct Attach Cable AP819A
NOTE:
Equivalent to Brocade 10Gbps Direct Attached SFP+Copper Cable -3m (PN
XBR-TWX-0301).
HPE B-series SFP+ to SFP+ Active Copper 5.0m Direct Attach Cable AP820A
NOTE: Equivalent to Brocade 10Gbps Direct Attached SFP+Copper Cable-5m (PN
XBR-TWX-0501).
NOTE: In addition to the supported HPE and non-HPE Copper cables above, Virtual
Connect provides "allowed" connections using third party cables that meet the
following criteria: connector=copper pigtail; transceiver code=active cable or passive
cable; speed equal or less than 10Gb; length between 1m and 7m, inclusive. All
"allowed" DACs are connected and logged. Prior to requesting support from Hewlett
Packard Enterprise, a DAC from the supported list above must be used to verify a

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Related Options
Page 16
cable issue is not involved.
Ethernet Optical
Transceivers
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 10Gb SFP+ SR Transceiver
455883-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 10Gb SFP+ LR Transceiver
455886-B21
NOTE: Requires single-mode fiber
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 10Gb SFP+ LRM Transceiver
455889-B21
NOTE: Not supported with Quad to SFP adapter (SKU: 720193-B21)
HPE BLc Virtual Connect 1Gb SX Small Form Factor Pluggable Option Kit
453151-B21
HPE BLc Virtual Connect 1Gb RJ-45 Small Form Factor Pluggable Option Kit 453154-B21
NOTE:
All above transceivers are supported only SFP+ interfaces excluding Quad to
SFP adapter (SKU: 720193-B21)
HPE X132 10G SFP+ LC SR Transceiver
J9150A
HPE X132 10G SFP+ LC LR Transceiver
J9151A
HPE X132 10G SFP+ LC LRM Transceiver
J9152A
NOTE: Not supported with Quad to SFP adapter (SKU: 720193-B21)
Fibre Channel
Optical
Transceivers &
Cables
HPE 8Gb Shortwave B-series Fibre Channel 1 Pack SFP+ Transceiver
AJ716B
HPE 8Gb Long Wave B-series 10km Fibre Channel 1 Pack SFP+ Transceiver
AJ717A
HPE 4Gb Short Wave Single Pack SFP Transceiver
A7446B
HPE 4Gb Short Wave B-series Fibre Channel 1 Pack SFP Transceiver
AJ715A
HPE 4Gb Long Wave B-series 30km Fibre Channel SFP Transceiver 1 Pack
AN211A
HPE LC to LC Multi-mode OM3 2-Fiber 0.5m 1-Pack Fiber Optic Cable
AJ833A
HPE LC to LC Multi-mode OM3 2-Fiber 1.0m 1-Pack Fiber Optic Cable
AJ834A
HPE LC to LC Multi-mode OM3 2-Fiber 2.0m 1-Pack Fiber Optic Cable
AJ835A
HPE LC to LC Multi-mode OM3 2-Fiber 5.0m 1-Pack Fiber Optic Cable
AJ836A
HPE LC to LC Multi-mode OM3 2-Fiber 15.0m 1-Pack Fiber Optic Cable
AJ837A
HPE LC to LC Multi-mode OM3 2-Fiber 30.0m 1-Pack Fiber Optic Cable AJ838A
HPE LC to LC Multi-mode OM3 2-Fiber 50.0m 1-Pack Fiber Optic Cable
AJ839A
10GBase-T SFP+
Transceivers
HP 10GBase-T SFP+ Transceiver 813874-B21
QSFP+
Transceivers and
cables
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 40Gb QSFP+ MPO SR4 100m Transceiver
720187-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 40Gb QSFP+ LC LR4 Transceiver
720190-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 40Gb QSFP+ MPO SR4 300m Transceiver
747698-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class QSFP+ to SFP+ Adapter
720193-B21
NOTE: The following are unsupported: 1Gb SFP, passive DAC longer than 5M and
active DAC longer than 10M
HPE Premier Flex MPO/MPO OM4 12f 10m Cable
QK729A

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Related Options
Page 17
HPE Premier Flex MPO/MPO OM4 12f 50m Cable
QK731A
HPE Premier Flex MPO/MPO OM4 12f 100m Cable H6Z30A
QSFP+ Copper
cables
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 40G QSFP+ to QSFP+ .35m Direct Attach Copper Cable
730907-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 40G QSFP+ to QSFP+ 1m Direct Attach Copper Cable
720196-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 40G QSFP+ to QSFP+ 3m Direct Attach Copper Cable
720199-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 40G QSFP+ to QSFP+ 5m Direct Attach Copper Cable
720202-B21
HPE X240 40G QSFP+ QSFP+ 1m Direct Attach Copper Cable
JG326A
HPE X240 40G QSFP+ QSFP+ 3m Direct Attach Copper CableJG327A
HPE X240 40G QSFP+ QSFP+ 5m Direct Attach Copper Cable
JG328A
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 40G QSFP+ to 4x10G SFP+ 3m Direct Attach Copper Splitter
Cable
721064-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 40G QSFP+ to 4x10G SFP+ 5m Direct Attach Copper Splitter
Cable
721067-B21
HPE X240 40G QSFP+ to 4x10G SFP+ 1m Direct Attach Copper Splitter Cable
JG329A
HPE X240 40G QSFP+ to 4x10G SFP+ 3m Direct Attach Copper Splitter Cable
JG330A
HPE X240 40G QSFP+ to 4x10G SFP+ 5m Direct Attach Copper Splitter Cable
JG331A
NOTE: In addition to the supported HPE and non-HPE Copper cables above,
QSFP+ AOC cables HPE BladeSystem c-Class 40G QSFP+ to QSFP+ 7m Active Optical Cable
720205-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 40G QSFP+ to QSFP+ 10m Active Optical Cable
720208-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 40G QSFP+ to QSFP+ 15m Active Optical Cable
720211-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 40G QSFP+ to 4x10 7m Active Optical Cable
721070-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 40G QSFP+ to 4x10 10m Active Optical Cable
721073-B21
HPE BladeSystem c-Class 40G QSFP+ to 4x10 15m Active Optical Cable
721076-B21
Service and
Support Offerings
NOTE: Some options, including the HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Module
for c-Class BladeSystem, are not covered under the c7000 enclosure Care Packs. The
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Module for c-Class BladeSystem include 3
years 9x5 Next Business Day support. Care Pack service level support should always
be uplifted to match existing BladeSystem service level.
Foundation Care Services
3-Year HPE Foundation Care 24x7 for HPE VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Module U4PH1E
3-Year HPE Foundation Care CTR for HPE VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Module
U4PH4E
Installation Services
HPE Startup Blade System c-Class Enhanced Network Service
UE603E
HPE Installation of ProLiant Add On Options Service
UH745E
NOTE: Additional HPE Care Pack services can be found at:
http://www.hp.com/go/cpc

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Technical Specifications
Page
18
Shipping
Dimensions
Length
13.88 in (352.55 mm)
Width
10.63 in (270.00 mm)
Height
64.75 in (120.65 mm)
Shipping Weight
Approximately2.7Kg (6.0 Lbs)
Product
Specifications
Hardware
Performance
Line
-rate, full-duplex 1.2 Tbps bridging fabric
Non-blocking architecture
Maximum transmission unit (MTU) of up
to 9216 bytes (jumbo frames)
Connectors and
Cabling
16 x 10/20Gb downlinks through the midplane
2 x 20Gb cross connect links
4 x 40Gb SR4, LR4 fiber, DAC, AOC and Splitter uplinks QSFP+
8 x 10Gb SR, LRM and LR fiber and copper uplinks SFP+
1 internal i
nterface to c-Class Onboard Administrator Module
Indicators
Recessed Momentary Reset Switch
Momentary Next/Step Switch
Backlit port number, configuration and status indicator LED, one per bulkhead port,
blue/amber/green
Module status indicator, amber/gr
een
Module locator (UID), blue
Link indicator, one per SFP+
-port, green/amber/orange
Active multiplexed port indicator, green
Weight
2.05Kg (4.5 Lbs)
Latency
1.0
µs on Ethernet only ports
1.8 µ
s Enet/FC ports
External FC Port
Type
Configured as Node
port s (N_Port),
2Gb, 4Gb or 8Gb auto
- negotiating SFP ports
Classes of Service
Class 2 and Class 3 Fibre Channel services
Scalability
Does not contribute to the total switch limit.
Buffer Credits
8 buffer credits per port, ASIC embedded memory
Environmental
Ranges
Temperature Range
Specification
10C to 35C (50F to 95F)*
Temperature Range
**
Operating
10C to 35C (50F to 95F)
Shipping
Shipping -40C to 60C (-40F to 140F)
Storage
-20°C to 60°C (-4F to 140°F)
Maximum wet bulb
temperature
30C (80F)

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Technical Specifications
Page 19
Relative Humidity
(noncondensing)
***
Operating
10% to 90%
Shipping
10% to 90%
*CAUTION: To avoid damage to the equipment, if more than two HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40
F8 Modules are installed in a c7000 enclosure, the ambient operating temperature cannot exceed 30C
(86F).
** CAUTION: All temperature ratings shown are for sea level. An altitude derating of 1°C per 304.8 m
(1.8°F per 1,000 ft) to 3048 m (10,000 ft) is applicable. No direct sunlight allowed. Upper operating limit
is 3,048m (10,000 ft) or 70 Kpa/10.1 psia. Upper non-operating limit is 9,144 m (30,000 ft) or 30.3
KPa/4.4 psia.
*** CAUTION: Storage maximum humidity of 95% is based on a maximum temperature of 45°C (113°F).
Altitude maximum for storage corresponds to a pressure minimum of 70 KPa.
Power Specification
12V @ 13.75A (165 W)
Product
Specifications
Software
Security Features
•HTTPS (HTTP exchanged over an SSL-encrypted session) is required for
access to the Virtual Connect Manager. Access to the Virtual Connect
Manager is via the system Onboard Administrator.
•Each user account can be configured for a combination of four access
privileges to control and/or view elements in the Virtual Connect Manager.
•User verification by account name and password (Case Sensitive).
•Role based customization to assign various privileges to Server Admin,
Network Admin and Storage Admin.
•LDAP Authentication services provide role based security via an LDAP SSL
Directory Server connection.
•TACACS+ authentication, authorization and accounting
•RADIUS authentication and authorization
•Administrator controlled password length and strength requirements.
•Private VLANs for secure connectivity between servers within a domain.
•Compliant with United States Department of Defense Policy on Use of
Department of Defense (DoD) Information Systems Standard Consent
Banner and User Agreement.
•Configurable filtering of multicast traffic
•GUI and CLI session timeout
Trunking, Failover
and Other
Networking
Features
•Shared Uplink Sets using Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) allows
the creation of Ethernet channeling with upstream switches that conform to
IEEE 802.3ad. Ports can alternatively be configured for failover only.
•External ports within a Port Set can be on the same VC Ethernet module or on
multiple VC modules within the VC domain.
•In the event of an uplink failure to a data center switch, the next highest
performance uplink connection or aggregation will become active.
•Fast MAC Cache failover enables rapid recovery of network connections when
a standby module becomes active.
•Smart Link network senses a failed upstream switch connection and allows
teamed NICs to properly failover.

QuickSpecs
HPE Virtual Connect FlexFabric-20/40 F8
Module
Technical Specifications
Page 20
•Configure uplink speeds to Auto, 1Gb,or10Gb on the associated uplinks
VLAN Features
•
802.1Q VLAN supported on uplinks.
•Uplink ports can be configured for VLAN tagging at egress or pass-thru of
tagged VLAN packets from Server ports.
•Native VLAN support for untagged packets on a shared uplink set. Packets
can be targeted to a specific server ports.
•Simultaneous tunneled and mapped VLAN connections to a single domain.
Industry Standard
NPIV Support
The Virtual Connect FlexFabric module works by first converting
FCoE traffic from
multiple
Flex Fabric Adapter ports to native Fibre Channel and then aggregating it over
a single N
-port uplink through the use of N_port_ID virtualization (NPIV). NPIV allows
multiple distinguishable identities (multiple port WWNs or por
t IDs) over a single N-
port connection. All Fibre Channel SAN switch vendors have support for NPIV in their
latest firmware release. By conforming to the NPIV standard, SAN equipment
interoperability simplified. The Virtual Connect FlexFabric Module can ag
gregate traffic
from up to 255 physical and virtual servers per Fibre Channel uplink port and up to 255
virtual server connections per single downlink port.
Data Center
Connectivity
Each Virtual Connect FlexFabric module supports up to 8 SAN fabrics and
is typically
connected to Fibre Channel switches that have been configured to run in NPIV mode.
The 8 FC configurable uplink ports are speed selectable from 2, 4, or 8Gb/s.
The setup wizard allows SAN administrators to name the fabric that servers will
c
onnect into and set the oversubscription rate. Fibre Channel boot parameters and
WWN administration are configurable options that can be integrated into server
profiles.
In an NPIV environment, there is an initial brief login function between the Virtual
Connect FlexFabric Module's uplink port and the data center SAN switch. Once
completed, all FlexHBA connections appear as though they are directly connected
between the server and the SAN switch. The Virtual Connect FlexFabric Module
appears as a pass
-thru device to the SAN, yet cables are reduced as much as 16:1
Management
Features
•Simple and intuitive Graphical User Interface (GUI) for defining, configuring,
and managing all elements of the Virtual Connect Domain.
•Setup Wizards for server profile creation and initial domain installation and
configuration and network configuration.
•Comprehensive administration, definition, and management of Ethernet
Network, Shared Uplink Set, SAN Fabric management and Server Profiles
•Embedded SNMP v1, v2, v3 and SMI-S agents allow Network Management
applications to query Virtual Connect for statistics and trap information.
•sFlow v5 for flow monitoring and capacity planning.
•A robust, scriptable and secure Command Line Interface simplifies
management and enables macros to control common Virtual Connect tasks
•Any uplink port can be used as a dedicated mirrored port for traffic analysis
and troubleshooting by a Network Analyzer or Sniffer.
•Domain Management of user accounts, enclosure, Virtual Connect domain