show running config | inc npiv

To enable npiv run "feature npiv" in config mode. To disable npiv run "no feature npiv" in config mode. You can enable npiv with no worries, it won't effect production. It just allows the initiators to request multiple N-port ID's and wwpn such that each each vmw are server can use the wwpn for the zoning purpose.

N_Port ID Virtualization (NPIV) Normally, an N_Port would have a single N_Port_ID associated with it; this N_Por t_ID is a 24-bit address assigned by the Fibre Channel switch during the FLOGI p rocess. The N_Port_ID is not the same as the World Wide Port Name (WWPN), althou gh there is typically a one-to-one relationship between WWPN and N_Port_ID. Thus , for any given physical N_Port, there would be exactly one WWPN and one N_Port_ ID associated with it. What NPIV does is allow a single physical N_Port to have multiple WWPNs, and the refore multiple N_Port_IDs, associated with it. After the normal FLOGI process, an NPIV-enabled physical N_Port can subsequently issue additional commands to re gister more WWPNs and receive more N_Port_IDs (one for each WWPN). The Fibre Cha nnel switch must also support NPIV, as the F_Port on the other end of the link w ould see multiple WWPNs and multiple N_Port_IDs coming from the host and must know how to handle this behavior. Once all the applicable WWPNs have been registered, each of these WWPNs can be u sed for SAN zoning or LUN presentation. There is no distinction between the phys ical WWPN and the virtual WWPNs; they all behave in exactly the same fashion and you can use them in exactly the same ways. So why might this functionality be useful? Consider a virtualized environment, w here you would like to be able to present a LUN via Fibre Channel to a specific virtual machine only: Without NPIV, it s not possible because the N_Port on the physical host would have only a single WWPN (and N_Port_ID). Any LUNs would have to be zoned and pre sented to this single WWPN. Because all VMs would be sharing the same WWPN on th e one single physical N_Port, any LUNs zoned to this WWPN would be visible to al l VMs on that host because all VMs are using the same physical N_Port, same WWPN , and same N_Port_ID. With NPIV, the physical N_Port can register additional WWPNs (and N_Port_IDs ). Each VM can have its own WWPN. When you build SAN zones and present LUNs usin g the VM-specific WWPN, then the LUNs will only be visible to that VM and not to any other VMs. Virtualization is not the only use case for NPIV, although it is certainly one o f the easiest to understand.