About Interface Modes - Cisco MDS 9000 Series Configuration Manual

Chapter 2 Configuring Interfaces
S e n d d o c u m e n t a t i o n c o m m e n t s t o m d s f e e d b a c k - d o c @ c i s c o . c o m
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We recommend that you configure your E ports on a 16-port switching module. If you must configure
Note
an E port on a 32-port host-optimized switching module, the other three ports in that 4-port group cannot
be used.
In the Cisco MDS 9100 Series, the groups of ports that are located on the left and outlined in white are
Note
full line rate. The other ports are host-optimized. Each group of 4 host-optimized ports have the same
features as for the 32-port switching module.

About Interface Modes

Each physical Fibre Channel interface in a switch may operate in one of several port modes: E port, F
port, FL port, TL port, TE port, SD port, ST port, and B port (see
interface may be configured in auto or Fx port modes. These two modes determine the port type during
interface initialization.
Figure 2-1
NL port
Interfaces are created in VSAN 1 by default. See the Cisco MDS 9000 Family NX-OS Fabric
Note
Configuration Guide.
Each interface has an associated administrative configuration and an operational status:
OL-19445-02, Cisco MDS NX-OS Release 4.2(x)
The auto mode is not allowed in a 32-port switching module or the host-optimized ports in the Cisco
9100 Series (16 host-optimized ports in the Cisco MDS 9120 switch and 32 host-optimized ports in
the Cisco MDS 9140 switch).
The default port mode is Fx (Fx negotiates to F or FL) for 32-port switching modules.
The 32-port switching module does not support FICON.
Cisco MDS 9000 Family Switch Port Modes
N port
F port
E port
FL port
Public
loop
NL port
Figure
NL port
p
ISL lin k
E port
Cisco MDS 9000 Family NX-OS Interfaces Configuration Guide
Fibre Channel Interfaces
2-1). Besides these modes, each
NL port
Private
loop
TL port
2-3