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Important notes and recommendations 8
Important notes and recommendations
When a c-Class enclosure is used with Virtual Connect v1.15, 1.15b, and 1.16, the following
configuration restrictions and guidelines apply:
• Plan your interconnect module usage carefully before running the Virtual Connect Domain Setup
Wizard. After an interconnect bay is configured for use with a VC-Enet or VC-FC module, it remains
configured for that module type until the overall VC domain is deleted. Virtual Connect will report
failures for any VC-Enet or VC-FC module that is removed from the domain.
• Ensure that all VC-Enet and VC-FC modules in a VC domain are at the same firmware revision. To
check the firmware revision level, select the "Firmware Update" tab on the "Domain Settings" page.
The firmware revision level for each module in the domain is shown.
• Only connect HP 4Gb VC-FC Module uplinks to Fibre Channel switch ports that are NPIV-enabled. If
using a Brocade FC switch, verify that NPIV is properly enabled by using the portshow command.
If not properly enabled, you may need to downgrade the Brocade switch firmware, and then
upgrade the firmware again for the enable to work properly.
• Always install an HP 1/10Gb VC-Enet Module in interconnect bay 1.
• For redundancy, HP recommends installing a second HP 1/10Gb VC-Enet Module in interconnect
bay 2.
• For interconnect bays 3-8, install an HP 1/10Gb VC-Enet Module or HP 4Gb VC-FC Module in the
bay corresponding to the mezzanine signals.
• Verify that all system component firmware is up to date. A server blade is displayed as incompatible
by Virtual Connect if the server ROM is not at the minimum level required by Virtual Connect. Virtual
Connect is not able to verify firmware revisions for all components, so a server blade component can
be incompatible even if the server blade is not listed as incompatible.
• To improve network performance and prevent unnecessary Spanning Tree Topology Change
Notifications (TCN) on the network, configure Ethernet switches connected to Virtual Connect with
the same Spanning Tree settings you would use when connecting to a server blade NIC. For Cisco
switches, this is done by using the portfast command to enable ports connected to a VC-Enet
module. This action ensures that link state changes on Virtual Connect do not cause a TCN.
• Do not use Virtual Connect and non-Virtual Connect modules in horizontally adjacent bays.
• Virtual Connect assigns or migrates MAC addresses/WWNs for server Ethernet/FC ports connected
to HP Virtual Connect Modules. Virtual Connect also assigns MAC/WWNs to server Ethernet/FC
ports that are not connected to an I/O module because VC modules can be added later. Server
Ethernet/FC ports connected to non-VC modules retain the server factory default MACs/WWNs.
• Verify that all iLOs and VC modules have received IP addresses. Without IP addresses on all
modules, Virtual Connect will not work properly.
• If deploying VC to an enclosure with already installed server blades, HP recommends that VC-
assigned MAC addresses not be used. Configure VCM to use server factory default MAC addresses.