Configuring DCBX

Data Center Ethernet (DCE), also known as Converged Enhanced Ethernet (CEE), is enhancement and expansion of traditional Ethernet local area networks for use in data centers. DCE uses the Data Center Bridging Exchange Protocol (DCBX) to negotiate and remotely configure the bridge capability of network elements.

DCBX has the following self-adaptable versions:

• DCB Capability Exchange Protocol Specification Rev 1.00.

• DCB Capability Exchange Protocol Base Specification Rev 1.01.

• IEEE Std 802.1Qaz-2011 (Media Access Control (MAC) Bridges and Virtual Bridged Local Area Networks-Amendment 18: Enhanced Transmission Selection for Bandwidth Sharing Between Traffic Classes).

DCBX offers the following functions:

• Discovers the peer devices' capabilities and determines whether devices at both ends support these capabilities.

• Detects configuration errors on peer devices.

• Remotely configures the peer device if the peer device accepts the configuration.

	NOTE: HPE devices support only the remote configuration function.

DCBX enables lossless packet transmission on DCE networks.

As shown in Figure 71, DCBX applies to an FCoE-based data center network, and operates on an access switch. DCBX enables the switch to control the server's or disk device's adapter, and simplifies the configuration and guarantees configuration consistency. DCBX extends LLDP by using the IEEE 802.1 organizationally specific TLVs (DCBX TLVs) to transmit DCBX data, including:

• In DCBX Rev 1.00 and DCBX Rev 1.01:

  • Application Protocol (APP).

  • Enhanced Transmission Selection (ETS).

  • Priority-based Flow Control (PFC).

• In IEEE Std 802.1Qaz-2011:

  • ETS Configuration.

  • ETS Recommendation.

  • PFC.

  • APP.

HPE devices can send these types of DCBX information to a server's or disk device's adapter supporting FCoE, but they cannot accept them.