Cisco UCS: FC port failed reason initializing, NPIV not enabled

I recently hit this and didn’t find anything rapidly on google. The configuration I was using was two Cisco MDS 9148 switches and two 6248 Cisco UCS fabric interconnects. A couple things to check if you’re getting this message:

Suspended due to NPIV is not enabled in upstream switch

And once NPIV is enabled, if the switchport goes into status:

fc port failed reason initializing

Try the following.

Thing 1: Make sure that NPIV is appropriately enabled on the switch.

Click to access npv.pdf

Thing 2: Make sure you have the VSANs configured the same in both UCS and the MDS. In this case, the storage admin I was working with created a new VSAN, but I left the UCS at the default VSAN 1.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/storage/san_switches/mds9000/sw/san-os/quick/guide/qcg_vin.html

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/unified_computing/ucs/sw/gui/config/guide/2.0/b_UCSM_GUI_Configuration_Guide_2_0_chapter_010110.html

This is assuming you’re using end host mode. Hope this helps!