Fibre Channel nodes

Fibre Channel nodes Terminology

The term Fibre Channel nodes is used to refer collectively to the three node kinds that are used to model connections to a SAN.

A Fibre Channel Host Bus Adaptor (HBA) is a controller card that connects a host to a storage area network (SAN). The controller card contains logical devices that process data for transmission. Each logical device has a number of ports which are the hardware attachments that allow the node to send and receive information.

The following nodes are used to model connections to a SAN:

HBA node — models the Host Bus Adaptor card
FCN node — models the logical devices
FCP node — models the ports

This is shown below.

These nodes all have the same lifecycle, that is, they are created, or removed at the same time, as the result of the same discovery data. The same data also updates the nodes, though not all nodes might change at the same time. The lifecycle for all three node types is shown in the following sections, and the attributes and links are shown for individual node types. The three node types are referred to collectively as Fibre Channel nodes.

BMC Discovery currently models QLogic and Emulex HBA cards.

HBA node

An HBA node represents a Fibre Channel Host Bus Adaptor, the controller card that connects a host, usually via an optical connection to a SAN. The HBA node has child nodes; one or more FCN nodes, which in turn have child nodes; one or more FCP nodes.

FCN node

The FCN node represents the logical devices that process data for transmission. The logical devices are called FCNs and each has a unique World Wide Node Number (WWNN). FCNs have firmware on board which might be updated frequently. The firmware version can differ between nodes on the same HBA card.

FCP node

FCN nodes have one or more ports to provide a physical interface to communicate. The port is a hardware attachment that allows the node to send and receive information via the physical interface. The ports are called FCPs and each has a unique World Wide Port Number (WWPN).

Fibre Channel nodes lifecycle

The following section describes the scenarios in which the Fibre Channel nodes are created, updated or destroyed.

Creation

The Fibre Channel nodes are created in the datastore when a host is scanned with sufficient credentials to run the HBA discovery commands. See the GetHBAList methods in User privileges and information access for UNIX and related operating systems and User privileges and information access for Windows operating systems. New HBA nodes and their children are only created if an HBA node with the same name (hba_id) does not exist on that Host node.

Update

The Fibre Channel nodes are updated in the datastore when a host is scanned with sufficient credentials to run the HBA discovery commands.

Removal

The Fibre Channel nodes are not automatically removed, by default. They are only removed if their parent Host node is destroyed.
This is a Containment Removal type, see Containment Removal.
To remove a Fibre Channel node manually, find the necessary Fibre Channel node, select it in the list and pick Delete from the Actions list.

Fibre Channel HBA attributes

The attributes and relationships on an HBA node are described in the tables below.

UI Name Attribute Name and Type	Description
HBA Identifier `hba_id string`	The HBA identifier. For example `20:00:00:00:c9:38:dc`.
Vendor `vendor string`	The HBA vendor. For example, Emulex.
Firmware `firmware list:string`	A list of firmware versions present on FCNs on this HBA. For example TS1.91A0. FCNs on the same HBA can have different firmware versions.
Model `model string`	Model name.
Description `description string`	Model description.
Serial `serial string`	Serial number.
Driver Version `driver_version string`	Driver version.
Optrom Bios Version `optrom_bios_version string`	Optrom bios version.
Optrom Efi Version `optrom_efi_version string`	Optrom efi version.
Optrom Fcode Version `optrom_fcode_version string`	Optrom fcode version.
Optrom Fw Version `optrom_fw_version string`	Optrom fw version.
Option ROM Version `option_rom_version string`	Optional ROM version.
Driver Name `driver_name string`	Driver name.
Boot Bios `boot_bios string`	Boot bios.
AIX Part Number `aix_part_number string`	AIX part number.
AIX Manufacturer Code `aix_manufacturer_code string`	AIX manufacturer number.

Fibre Channel HBA relationships

The relationships of an HBA node are described in the table below.

UI name	Relationship	Description
Host	`FibreChannelHBA: InterfaceOfDevice: DeviceInterface: DeviceWithInterface: Host`	Relationship to the host with this HBA.
Fibre Channel Node	`FibreChannelHBA: FibreChannelDeviceWithNode: FibreChannelNodeDevice: FibreChannelNode: FibreChannelNode`	Relationship to one or more FCNs (WWNNs) on this HBA card.
Discovered HBA	`FibreChannelHBA: InferredElement: Inference: Primary: DiscoveredHBA`	Primary inference.

FCN node attributes

The attributes and relationships on an FCN node are described in the tables below.

UI Name Attribute Name and Type	Description
WWNN `wwnn string`	World Wide Node Name. The identifier for this FCN.
Firmware `firmware string`	The firmware present on this FCN. This can differ between FCNs on the same HBA.

FCN node relationships

The relationships of an FCN node are described in the table below.

UI name	Relationship	Description
Fibre Channel HBA	`FibreChannelNode: FibreChannelNode: FibreChannelNodeDevice: FibreChannelDeviceWithNode: FibreChannelHBA`	The HBA for this FCN.
Fibre Channel Port	`FibreChannelNode: FibreChannelNodeWithPort: FibreChannelNodePort: FibreChannelPort: FibreChannelPort`	Ports on this FCN.
Discovered HBA	`FibreChannelNode: InferredElement: Inference: Primary: DiscoveredHBA`	Primary inference.

FCP node attributes

The attributes and relationships on an FCP node are described in the tables below.

UI Name Attribute Name and Type	Description
Port Name `name string`	Port Name.
WWPN `wwpn string`	World Wide Port Name. The name of the port on the FCN.
Type `port_type string`	Port type.
State `port_state string`	Port state.
Speed `speed int`	Port speed.
Supported Speeds `supported_speeds list:int`	Supported speeds.
Fabric Name `fabric_name string`	Fabric name.
Supported Classes `supported_classes list:string`	Supported classes.
Role `role string`	Port role.

FCP node relationships

The relationships of an FCP node are described in the table below.

Destination	Relationship	Description
Fibre Channel node	`FibreChannelPort: FibreChannelPort: FibreChannelNodePort: FibreChannelNodeWithPort: FibreChannelNode`	The WWNN for this WWPN.
Discovered HBA	`FibreChannelPort: InferredElement: Inference: Primary: DiscoveredHBA`	Primary inference.
Connected Storage	`FibreChannelPort: Consumer:SANStorage: Producer: StorageConnection`	SAN storage connected to a port.
Storage Processor	`FibreChannelPort: Contained: Containment: Container: StorageProcessor`	Storage processor for this port.
Network Device	`FibreChannelPort: InterfaceOfDevice: DeviceInterface: DeviceWithInterface: NetworkDevice`	Network device for this port.
Exposed Volumes	`FibreChannelPort: FrontEndPort: ExposedView: ExposedElement: StorageVolume`	Volumes exposed via this port.