NPAR
Dell - QLogic
October 2011
Dell and QLogic Drive Next-generation Blade Server I/O Virtualization with NPAR*
*Based on QLogic VMflexTM Technology
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October, 2011
Agenda
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Why NPAR (NIC Partitioning)?
Highlights
Operations
Configurations
QME8242-k
PowerEdge M-Series Blade Server
PowerConnect M8424-k Converged Network Switch
PowerEdge M1000e Modular Blade Enclosure
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October, 2011
Why NPAR?
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Lowers TCO
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Efficient I/O Utilization
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Consolidates cables, infrastructure, and I/O
Saves server resources
Reduces operational complexity
Flexible SAN and LAN personality
VM to VM NIC traffic without external switch
Allows dynamic bandwidth provisioning
Minimizes bandwidth waste
Scales I/O workloads and connections
Scale-Out performance for virtualized servers
Provides finer control for SLA / on demand services
Maximize Data Center Efficiency
Simpler Deployment
• Solution not dependent on OS or switch
• Configuration at pre-boot or OS level
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October, 2011
Key Attributes
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No OS or BIOS changes required
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NIC controls transmit flow rate
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User configurable
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Dynamic bandwidth allocation
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Storage and NIC personalities (function type)
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Full offload for iSCSI and FCoE with NPAR
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Concurrent FCoE, iSCSI and NIC support
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Minimum bandwidth allows fine grain QoS
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OS & Switch Agnostic Solution Delivers
Highest Levels of Interoperability
October, 2011
NPAR Theory of Operation
Up to 4 Physical Functions on each physical port
PF0
NIC*
PF2
NIC
PF4
PF6
iSCSI / NIC FCoE / NIC
PF1
NIC*
Physical
Port 0
Default Function State
NIC* Function Always
Enabled
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PF0 & PF1
NIC*
PF3
NIC
PF5
PF7
iSCSI / NIC FCoE / NIC
Physical
Port 1
PF2 & PF3
Disabled
PF4 & PF5
iSCSI
PF6 & PF7
FCoE
October, 2011
NPAR Theory of Operation
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Function
Number
Function
Type
Physical Port
Number
0
NIC*
0
1
NIC*
1
2
NIC
0
3
NIC
1
4
iSCSI/ NIC
0
5
iSCSI/ NIC
1
6
FCoE/ NIC
0
7
FCoE/ NIC
1
* Functions 0 & 1 (Port 0 and Port 1)
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Always present
Always NIC
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2 & 3 - NIC or disabled
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4 & 5 - iSCSI, NIC or disabled
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6 & 7 - FCoE, NIC or disabled
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One iSCSI and/or FCoE per Physical Port
NIC, iSCSI, & FCoE have fixed function numbers
Functions 2 -7 can be independently disabled
October, 2011
NPAR Configuration Options
• Enable / Disable NPAR Functions
• Change Function Type (Personality)
• Allocate Min and Max Bandwidth
Windows
Linux
ESX
ESXi
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Configuration Utilities
Property Sheet
QCC GUI QCC CLI
QCC GUI QCC CLI
vCenter Plugin
QCC CLI
vCenter Plugin
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Pre Boot Utility
QLogic Fast!UTIL / Dell USC
QLogic Fast!UTIL / Dell USC
QLogic Fast!UTIL / Dell USC
QLogic Fast!UTIL / Dell USC
October, 2011
NPAR Configuration QLogic Utility
Invoke QLogic Fast!UTIL during POST
Type <Ctrl>Q
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration QLogic Utility
Configuration Utility
• Change Function Type
• Allocate Min Bandwidth
• Save Changes and Reboot
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration Dell USC
UEFI  F10  USC  Advanced Configuration  Select Port for NPAR
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration Dell USC
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration Dell USC
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration Windows Properties Page
NPAR
Configured for
three NICs and
FCoE
NPAR
Configured for
three NICs and
iSCSI
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration QCC GUI
Web based tool provides same interface for Windows and Linux
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration QCC CLI
CLI tool provides same interface for Windows and Linux
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration ESX
VM e-f
VM g-h
VM i-j
VM l-m
VM n-o
VM p-q
vNIC a-b
vNIC c-d
vNIC e-f
vNIC g-h
vNIC i-j
vNIC l-m
vDisk
vDisk
vSwitch
vSwitch
vSwitch
vSwitch
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Independently
configured for each port
eSwitch used for VM to
VM NIC communication
VM c-d
vSwitch
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VM a-b
vSwitch
Server
Hypervisor
PF 0 PF 2 PF 4 PF 6
SCSI Layer
PF 1 PF 3 PF 5 PF 7
iSCSI
eSwitch
Port 0
TX/RX
PHY
eSwitch
Port 1
FCoE
Uplink
TX/RX
PHY
Switch
Port
Switch
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration ESX
Server
Hypervisor
VM1
vNIC
VM2
vNIC
vSwitch
PF 0
VM
vNIC
VM
vNIC
vSwitch
VM
vNIC
vSwitch
PF 2
PF 4
VM
vNIC
VM
vNIC
VM
vNIC
vSwitch
PF 6
eSwitch
NIC Port 0 TX/RX
PHY
Switch
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NIC Port 1
October, 2011
NPAR Configuration – vCenter Plugin (1 of 2)
Save NPAR configuration
Reboot to initiate change
Enable NIC Function Type for Function_2
using pull down menu
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration - vCenter Plugin (2 of 2)
Enabled with NIC
Function_2
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration Bandwidth Allocation
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Minimum Bandwidth
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Minimum guaranteed bandwidth
Specified as % of link speed
Total of all partitions is up to Max bandwidth link
May exceed specified Min value up to Max value
• If excess bandwidth available on the physical port
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Maximum Bandwidth
• Up to the Max allowed bandwidth
• Specified as % of link speed
• Not allowed to exceed Max value
• Even if excess bandwidth available on physical port
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration Bandwidth Allocation using Dell USC
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration Bandwidth Allocation with Dell USC
From Global Bandwidth Allocation
Select the Partition
• Default Allocation Shown
• Set Relative Bandwidth Weighting
• Set Maximum Bandwidth
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration Bandwidth Allocation with Dell USC
Configure Minimum Bandwidth
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Configure Maximum Bandwidth
October, 2011
NPAR Configuration Bandwidth Allocation
RT Click Function 0, to Enable
Bandwidth Configuration Window
• Configure Min and Max Value
Dynamically
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration Bandwidth Allocation with vCenter Plugin
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October, 2011
NPAR Configuration Oversubscription
An NPAR enabled 10Gb port can be configured
to allow each NIC partition to claim up to 100%
of bandwidth that is going unused by the other
NIC partitions on the same port
Without Oversubscription
With Oversubscription
Bandwidth
Bandwidth
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Fixed
Unused bandwidth is wasted
Unused bandwidth available
Can be used automatically
Partitions use it when needed
October, 2011
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October, 2011