Dell PowerEdge FN I/O Module Configuration Guide 9.10(0.0)

In a converged Ethernet network, intermediate Ethernet bridges can snoop on FIP packets during the login process on an FCF. Then, using ACLs, a transit bridge can permit only authorized FCoE traffic to be transmitted between an FCoE end-device and an FCF. An Ethernet bridge that provides these functions is called a FIP snooping bridge (FSB).

On a FIP snooping bridge, ACLs are created dynamically as FIP login frames are processed. The ACLs are installed on switch ports configured for the following port modes:

• ENode mode for server-facing ports
• FCF mode for a trusted port directly connected to an FCF

You must enable FIP snooping on an Aggregator and configure the FIP snooping parameters. When you enable FIP snooping, all ports on the switch by default become ENode ports.

The below illustration depicts an Aggregator used as a FIP snooping bridge in a converged Ethernet network. The ToR switch operates as an FCF for FCoE traffic. Converged LAN and SAN traffic is transmitted between the ToR switch and an Aggregator. The Aggregator operates as a lossless FIP snooping bridge to transparently forward FCoE frames between the ENode servers and the FCF switch.

Figure 1. FIP Snooping on an Aggregator

The following sections describes how to configure the FIP snooping feature on a switch that functions as a FIP snooping bridge so that it can perform the following functions:

• Performs FIP snooping (allowing and parsing FIP frames) globally on all VLANs or on a per-VLAN basis.
• Set the FCoE MAC address prefix (FC-MAP) value used by an FCF to assign a MAC address to an ECoE end-device (server ENode or storage device) after a server successfully logs in.
• Set the FCF mode to provide additional port security on ports that are directly connected to an FCF.
• Check FIP snooping-enabled VLANs to ensure that they are operationally active.
• Process FIP VLAN discovery requests and responses, advertisements, solicitations, FLOGI/FDISC requests and responses, FLOGO requests and responses, keep-alive packets, and clear virtual-link messages.