FCIP

Terminology FCIP Frame Format

FCIP is a tunneling protocol that connects geographically
0 bit 16 bit 31 bit
distributed Fibre Channel storage area networks (SAN
Islands) Transparently over IP networks (LAN), (WAN) and Protocol # Version -Protocol # -Version

(MAN). FCIP removes distance limitation of FC suitable for Encapsulating Protocol Specific
big enterprise.It creates point to point connection between
FC SAN’s tunnels and sends FC frames into TCP/IP packet Flags Frame Length -Flags -Frame Length

through tunnel. Provides data encryption with the help of Time Stamp (Seconds)
IPsec over IP routers
Time Stamp (Second Fraction)
FCIP frame Maximum Fibre Channel frame is 2148 bytes
plus optional extras. FCIP will segment and reassemble CRC

FC frames if MTU too small (TCP payload on second or

subsequent packets).Jumbo frames may increase performance Start of Frame End of
Data Field CRC
Frame Header Frame
FCIP Profile Contains information about the local IP address
4 bytes 24 bytes Max 2112 bytes 4 bytes 4 bytes
and TCP parameters. The profile defines the local connection
points (IP address and TCP port number), The behavior of the Fiber Channel Frame
underlying TCP connections for all FCIP links that use this
profile. The FCIP profile’s local IP address determines the Ethernet IP TCP TCP FCIP Frame

CRC 4 bytes

CRC 4 bytes
SOF 4 bytes

EOF 4 bytes
FC Frame
Header Header Header Opts Header Header
Gigabit Ethernet port where the FCIP links terminate 14 bytes 20 bytes 20 bytes 12 bytes 28 bytes 24 bytes Max 2112 bytes

FCIP Interface is the local endpoint of the FCIP link and a

VE port interface. All the FCIP and E port parameters are
FCIP Frame
configured in context to the the FCIP interface. The FCIP
parameters consist of Peer information, Number of TCP
connection for the FCIP link, E port parameters (Trunking FCIP Design
mode and trunk allowed VSAN list)
FCIP VE Port virtual E (VE) ports behave exactly like standard FCIP Link
Fibre Channel E ports, except that the transport is FCIP IP Network
Virtual ISL Virtual ISL
instead of Fibre Channel. A virtual ISL is established over
an FCIP link and transport Fibre Channel traffic Gigabit
Ethernet
VE_Port
FCIP Links Consist of one or more TCP connections between VE_Port
FCIP Interface FCIP FCIP
two FCIP link endpoints. Each link carries encapsulated Fibre FCIP Interface Profile VE_Port
FCIP Profile FCIP Interface
Channel frames. When the FCIP link comes up, the VE ports FCIP Interface
Profile
at the both ends of the FCIP link create a virtual
Fibre Channel (E) ISL and initiate the E port protocol to bring F_Port F_Port
up the (E)ISL Fibre F_Port Fibre
Channel Channel
N_Port
FCIP Configuration N_Port N_Port

# Enable feature
feature fcip VE_Port Virtual Expansion Port
F_Port Fabric Port
# Ethernet Interface N_Port Node Port
inter g1/1
ip add 10.10.10.1
switchport mtu 2300 (optional) Troubleshooting & Debugging
# Show command
# FCIP Profile Show fcip [profile | summary | host-map | target-map]
fcip profile 1
Show fcns [database | internal route]
ip add 10.10.10.1
Show interface fcip 1
port 3225 (optional)
Show port internal [port-channel | link-events]
# FCIP Interface Show ips stats [dma inter gi0/1 | tcp interfa gi0/1]
interface fcip 1 Show ips internal even epp interface fcip 1
use-profile 1 Show tech fcip
peer-info addr 10.10.10.2 [port 3225]
passive-mode (optional) # Debug command
switchport mode e Debug ips flow fcip
switchport trunk mode on Debug ip igmp group
switchport trunk allowed vsan all Debug ips fcip error port 1

Last update October 13, 2016 (version 1.00)

References: https://cloudpacket.net/bookmarks/ Prepared By Shakib Shaygan