What is "npiv"

NPIV or N_Port ID Virtualization is a Fibre Channel feature whereby multiple Fibre Channel node port (N_Port) IDs can share a single physical N_Port. This allows multiple Fibre Channel initiators to occupy a single physical port, easing hardware requirements in Storage Area Network (SAN) design, especially where virtual SANs are called for. This allows each virtual server to see its own storage and no other virtual server's storage. NPIV is defined by the Technical Committee T11 in the Fibre Channel - Link Services (FC-LS) specification.