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# About Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) networks

FCoE networks are a combination of both Ethernet and Fibre Channel technology and are used when storage traffic is carried over a dedicated Ethernet VLAN. Like a tagged Ethernet network, FCoE networks use VLANs to allow multiple networks to use the same physical connection. See the HPE OneView Support Matrix for the number of FCoE networks that can be assigned to a single interconnect and for a single logical interconnect or logical interconnect group. Like FC traffic, FCoE traffic does not cross stacking links.

FCoE networks lower cost through:

- Cable consolidation

- Reduction in the number of SAN fabric switches

- Adapter and interconnect consolidation

### FCoE network requirements

- Assigned VLAN ID, from 2 to 4094

- Ethernet uplink set

- Uplink ports are FCoE-capable and come from a single FCoE-capable interconnect module

FCoE support depends upon the Virtual Connect firmware version of the interconnect module, as shown in the following table.

Virtual Connect firmware version | Supported functionality | Supported interconnects
--- | --- | ---
4.10 | A single FCoE network in an uplink set | Virtual Connect FlexFabric 10Gb/24-Port Module Virtual Connect Flex-10/10D Module for HPE BladeSystem C-class
4.20 or higher | Up to 32 FCoE networks in an uplink set Up to 32 FCoE networks per interconnect (cumulative across all uplink sets for the interconnect) FIP snooping | Virtual Connect FlexFabric 10Gb/24-Port Module Virtual Connect Flex-10/10D Module for HPE BladeSystem C-class Virtual Connect FlexFabric–20/40 F8 Module, ports X1–X8
4.30 or higher | Up to 32 FCoE networks in an uplink set Up to 32 FCoE networks per interconnect (cumulative across all uplink sets for the interconnect) FIP snooping | Virtual Connect FlexFabric 10Gb/24-Port Module Virtual Connect Flex-10/10D Module for HPE BladeSystem C-class Virtual Connect FlexFabric–20/40 F8 Module, ports X1–X8 and QSFP ports

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