> # NPV Guidelines and Requirements

> Following are recommended guidelines and requirements when deploying NPV:

> - NPV core switches must support NPIV.
> - You can have up to 100 NPV devices.
> - Nondisruptive upgrades are supported. See the Cisco MDS 9000 Family NX-OS Fundamentals Configuration Guide.
> - Port tracking is supported. See the Cisco MDS 9000 Family NX-OS Security Configuration Guide.
> - You can configure zoning for end devices that are connected to NPV devices using all available member types on the NPV core switch. If fWWN, sWWN, domain, or port-based zoning is used, then fWWN, sWWN or the domain/port of the NPV core switch should be used.
> - Port security is supported on the NPV core switch for devices logged in via NPV.
> - NPV uses a load-balancing algorithm to automatically assign end devices in a VSAN to one of the NPV core switch links (in the same VSAN) upon initial login. If there are multiple NPV core switch links in the same VSAN, then you cannot assign a specific one to an end device.
> - Both servers and targets can be connected to an NPV device.
> - Remote SPAN is not supported.
> - Local switching is not supported; all traffic is switched using the NPV core switch.
> - NPV devices can connect to multiple NPV core switches. In other words, different NP ports can be connected to different NPV core switches.
> - NPV supports NPIV-capable module servers (nested NPIV).
> - Only F, NP, and SD ports are supported in NPV mode.
> - In the case of servers that are booted over the SAN with NPV, if an NPV link failover occurs, servers will lose access to their boot LUN temporarily.
> - NPV switches do not recognize the BB_SCN configuration on the xNP ports because of interoperability issues with the third-party core switches.

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