iFCP: Tunneling Example (Was iFCP on the agenda)

[Charles Monia <cmonia@NishanSystems.com>]

Hi:

The following diagram is an example of how one might build tunnel-equivalent
functionality using a switchless iFCP implementation.

FC<->?_PORT|Switchless iFCP Box|<=IP Cloud=>|Switchless iFCP
Box|?_PORT|<->FC

?_PORT represents a switch vendor's proprietary or standard Fibre Channel
switch to switch interface. In this example, the iFCP boxes need only make
the local N_PORTs visible across the IP network.

Traffic between N_PORTS is handled at wire speed by iFCP hardware. The
?_PORT protocol traffic is serviced by iFCP firmware and never appears on
the IP wire.

In such an iFCP implementation, the IP fabric is configured automatically
using the services of iSNS.  In FCIP, the tunnels must be manually
configured.

Charles

> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Robinson [mailto:david.robinson@EBay.Sun.COM]
> Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2000 11:35 AM
> To: ips@ece.cmu.edu
> Subject: Re: iFCP on the agenda
> 
> 
> julian_satran@il.ibm.com wrote:
> > 
> > I would suggest that we discuss iFCP.    Out of all the 
> gateway/tunneling
> > drafts I have seen it is by far the
> > bets thought out and well grounded in both the best 
> practices in FC and
> > solid IP network assumptions.
> 
> With the WG now having two proposals that appear to solve close to
> the same problem, it would be very useful to put an iFCP/FCIP slot
> on the agenda to understand the strengths and weakness of both.
> 
> 	-David
>