RFC 3821 (rfc3821) - Page 1 of 74


Fibre Channel Over TCP/IP (FCIP)



Alternative Format: Original Text Document



Network Working Group                                       M. Rajagopal
Request for Comments: 3821                                  E. Rodriguez
Category: Standards Track                                       R. Weber
                                                              July 2004


                    Fibre Channel Over TCP/IP (FCIP)

Status of this Memo

   This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
   Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
   and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2004).

Abstract

   Fibre Channel Over TCP/IP (FCIP) describes mechanisms that allow the
   interconnection of islands of Fibre Channel storage area networks
   over IP-based networks to form a unified storage area network in a
   single Fibre Channel fabric.  FCIP relies on IP-based network
   services to provide the connectivity between the storage area network
   islands over local area networks, metropolitan area networks, or wide
   area networks.

Table Of Contents

   1.  Purpose, Motivation, and Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
   2.  Relationship to Fibre Channel Standards. . . . . . . . . . . .  4
       2.1.  Relevant Fibre Channel Standards . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
       2.2.  This Specification and Fibre Channel Standards . . . . .  5
   3.  Terminology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
   4.  Protocol Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
   5.  The FCIP Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
       5.1.  FCIP Protocol Model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
       5.2.  FCIP Link. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
       5.3.  FC Entity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
       5.4.  FCIP Entity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
       5.5.  FCIP Link Endpoint (FCIP_LEP). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
       5.6.  FCIP Data Engine (FCIP_DE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
             5.6.1.  FCIP Encapsulation of FC Frames. . . . . . . . . 16
             5.6.2.  FCIP Data Engine Error Detection and Recovery. . 19
   6.  Checking FC Frame Transit Times in the IP Network. . . . . . . 22



Rajagopal, et al.           Standards Track