What is the format of WWN?
What is the format of WWN?

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This is a Q&A from SAN School Lesson 7.
Click here for more SAN School lessons.

A WWN is a 64-bit address that is used within the Fibre Channel spec for assigning a unique ID to each element within a Fibre Channel fabric and is handed out to vendors from the IEEE.

The format is as follows:

A worldwide unique identifier for the node.
A worldwide unique identifier for each N_PORT associated with the node.
For each N_PORT attached to a fabric, a 24-bit fabric-unique address.
The fabric address is the address to which frames are sent.

The fabric address is as follows:

The 24-bit FC address is not really part of the world-wide name. It is only used for routing data within the SAN.

This was first published in April 2004

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