Fibre Channel SAN Extension over IP
FCIP Concepts
FCIP Concepts
Single FC
fabric
ISL ISL
Virtual ISL
FCIP Tunnel
FCIP Gateway
IP Network
FCIP Gateway
• Transparently joins FC switches over IP network
• Encapsulates Fibre Channel frames and primitives
• Creates one Fibre Channel fabric over extended
distance—closely coupled architecture
FCIP is a tunnelling protocol that replaces a single ISL between two switches
in a ‘one to one’ architecture. It is used to connect exactly two E_Ports
together in a closely coupled architecture that merges the fabric.
This will create a virtual ISL which will then force a fabric merge. So when we
use FCIP, because it takes the entire frame and carries it to the remote
network, FCIP merges and creates a single fabric.
So our E_Port will connect to our B_Port. We then tunnel through our IP
network. Then our B_Port goes back to our E_Port creating our virtual ISL
between our 2 devices. All information will traverse this link, including all
fabric traffic in addition to the storage or upper layer protocol traffic.
As devices or links are added and removed, this generates Registered State
Change Notifications (RSCN) which inform HBAs and other registered devices
that a change has occurred.