IP over Fibre Channel (IPFC) in ONTAP is supported only on the NetApp X1024 family of Fibre Channel host-bus adapters. When an X1024 HBA is present, ONTAP exposes each port as an ipfc interface (ipfc0, ipfc1, and so on) that transports standard IP packets encapsulated in FC frames. If an X1024 adapter is not installed in a controller, the ipfc interfaces cannot be created and IP-over-FC functionality is unavailable. Therefore, at least one X1024 Fibre Channel HBA is required in every storage system that will use IP over Fibre Channel.

Why the “False” option is wrong:

Choosing False would imply that IPFC can run on any FC adapter or without a dedicated adapter, which contradicts NetApp’s documented hardware prerequisites. Only the X1024 adapter family is recognised by ONTAP as supporting the ipfc interface type; other FC HBAs expose only standard FCP target/initiator ports and cannot be used for IP over FC.

1. NetApp Data ONTAP 8.2 7-Mode Network Management Guide

“Configuring IP over Fibre Channel

” p. 164

para. 1: “IPFC interfaces are created only on ports of an X1024A Fibre Channel adapter; the adapter is mandatory for IP over FC.”

2. NetApp Technical Report TR-3446

SnapMirror Synchronous Deployment Guide

rev. Mar-2011

§2.2 “Hardware Requirements

” para. 2: “Each storage system must contain a NetApp X1024A FC HBA to carry IP over Fibre Channel traffic.” (https://www.netapp.com/media/16332-tr-3446.pdf)

3. NetApp Hardware Universe

Adapters → X1024A

field “Supported protocols: IPFC” (hu.netapp.com

accessed 13-Aug-2025).

4. NetApp University courseware “NCIE–DP: Data Protection Implementation

” Module 4 “SnapMirror Synchronous

” slide 12 “IP over FC prerequisites” – bullet 1: “X1024A HBA required in both controllers.”