> # Configuring a Virtual Device

> A virtual device is identified by an alphanumeric name of up to 32 characters and defines all the real devices (one primary and one or more secondary) that it represents. Upon the successful creation of a virtual device, the virtual device name is internally registered as the device alias name with the device alias database; the pWWN is automatically assigned by the system using Cisco Organizational Unique Identifier (OUI). A virtual device appears as a real, physical device. You can enumerate up to 128 devices for a virtual device. There is a limit of 4095 on the number of virtual devices that you can create in a single VSAN.

> Note As of Cisco MDS SAN-OS Release 3.1(2) and NX-OS Release 4.1(1a), SDV supports up to 1024 virtual devices per VSAN.

> ## Detailed Steps

> To configure a virtual target and commit it to the fabric configuration, follow these steps:

> 1. Expand SAN in the Logical Domains pane, and then expand the fabric in which your VSAN resides.
> 2. Expand the VSAN in which you want to create the virtual target and select SDV. You see the switches in the VSAN that you selected listed in the Information pane.
> 3. In the Control tab, select enable from the drop-down menu in the Command column to enable SAN device virtualization for a particular switch in the VSAN.
> 4. Click the Apply Changes icon to commit the configuration change.
> 5. Click the CFS tab. Confirm that the SAN device virtualization feature is enabled for the switch.
> 6. Click the Virtual Devices tab and then click the Create Row icon.

> You see the Create Virtual Devices dialog box.

> 7. Select the Virtual Device ID from the drop-down list (ranges from 1 to 4096).
> 8. Enter a Name for the Virtual Device. Select the Virtual Domain and enter a Virtual FC ID for the virtual target.
> 9. Check only the autoFailover check box or check the autoFailover and primFallback check boxes. For more information, see the "Automatic Failover and Fallback" topic. You can also change the option in the Option column of the Virtual Devices tab.

> 10. Click Create to create the virtual target.
> 11. Click the CFS icon to commit and distribute the configuration changes.

> ## Examples

> The pWWN of the virtual target does not appear in the zoning end devices database in DCNM-SAN. If you want to zone the virtual device with a pWWN, you must enter it in the Add Member to Zone dialog box when creating a zone. However, if the device alias is in enhanced mode, the virtual device names appear in the device alias database in the DCNM-SAN zoning window. In this case, users can choose to select either the device alias name or enter the pWWN in the Add Member to Zone dialog box.
> For more information, see the "Adding Zone Members" topic.

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