Brocade Network Advisor SAN + IP User Manual v12.1.0 - Manual (Page 1653)

Brocade Network Advisor SAN + IP User Manual 1607
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Flow Vision features
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You can customize test flows by specifying the source, destination, a specific or random payload
size, and payload pattern. Flow Generator source and destination ports emulate device entries in
the Name Server database, where they are treated as real devices and so can be used to evaluate
various switch and fabric operations, such as zoning, QoS, and traffic isolation. Simulated devices
will display as virtual end devices. View these in the connectivity view by selecting View >
Connected end devices > include virtual devices.
Flow Generator can display the traffic measurements of specific flows or all the generated flows to
allow you to identify bottlenecks and congestions in the fabric. These measurements include the
transmitted frame count from the egress port and the received frame count from the ingress port.
A port that generates the simulated traffic can also be the destination of another flow transmitted
from another port. In this case the received frames will be discarded and not forwarded. Flow
Generator traffic is marked with a unique FC type (0xF6), allowing you to easily distinguish it from
the real traffic.
Limitations and prerequisites
The following limitations and prerequisites apply specifically to the Flow Generator feature.
• Flow Generator functionality is based on the 16 Gbps platform Frame Shooter feature which
allows 16 Gbps capable Fibre Channel ports to transmit traffic at a line rate. The Frame
Shooter feature is fully supported on these ports.
• Flow Generator support for 8 Gbps-capable Fibre Channel ports is limited, as these ports
cannot transmit the simulated traffic.
• The port that transmits the simulated traffic (SIM port) must be a 16Gbps-capable Fibre
Channel port. The port that receives the simulated traffic can be an 8 Gbps or 16
Gbps-capable Fibre Channel port.
• A SIM port can only be configured on a vacant F_Port (U_Port).
• Access Gateway switches are not supported as Flow Generator sources or destinations.
• Flow Generator works with zoning in Fabric OS Layer 2 fabrics.
• Zoning should be enforced for a learning flow.
• Flow Generator is not supported for Fibre Channel routers as the remote destination device
port cannot be checked to confirm that it is a simulator (SIM) port.
• Frame redirection is not supported for SIM ports.
• Source device, ingress port and egress port must be local.
• Source device and ingress port must refer to the same source.
• If destination device and egress port are defined, both must refer to the same destination and
that the destination must be local.
• If more than one flow has the same destination, the egress port received frame count will
increment based on both flows. In this case, if you want to match the transmitted and received
frame counts as one flow, you must add all the transmitted frame counts together.
• If more than one flow has the same source, the ingress port transmitted frame count will not
match the egress port received frame count. In this case, if you want to match the transmitted
and received frame counts as one flow, you must add all the transmitted frame counts
together.
• N_Ports cannot be ingress or egress ports.
• L_Ports cannot be ingress or egress ports.