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Cisco Nexus 5000 Series Switch CLI Software Configuration Guide
OL-16597-01
Chapter 1 Configuring Port Security
Information About Port Security
This section includes the following topics:
• Port Security Enforcement, page 1-2
• About Auto-Learning, page 1-2
• Port Security Activation, page 1-3
Port Security Enforcement
To enforce port security, configure the devices and switch port interfaces through which each device or
switch is connected, and activate the configuration.
• Use the port world wide name (pWWN) or the node world wide name (nWWN) to specify the N port
connection for each device.
• Use the switch world wide name (sWWN) to specify the xE port connection for each switch.
Each N and xE port can be configured to restrict a single port or a range of ports.
Enforcement of port security policies are done on every activation and when the port tries to come up.
The port security feature uses two databases to accept and implement configuration changes.
• Configuration database—All configuration changes are stored in the configuration database.
• Active database—The database currently enforced by the fabric. The port security feature requires
all devices connecting to a switch to be part of the port security active database. The software uses
this active database to enforce authorization.
About Auto-Learning
You can instruct the switch to automatically learn (auto-learn) the port security configurations over a
specified period. This feature allows any Cisco Nexus 5000 Series switch to automatically learn about
devices and switches that connect to it. Use this feature when you activate the port security feature for
the first time as it saves tedious manual configuration for each port. You must configure auto-learning
on a per-VSAN basis. If enabled, devices and switches that are allowed to connect to the switch are
automatically learned, even if you have not configured any port access.
When auto-learning is enabled, learning happens only for the devices or interfaces that were not already
logged into the switch. Learned entries on a port are cleaned up after you shut down that port if
auto-learning is still enabled.
Learning does not override the existing configured port security policies. For example, if an interface is
configured to allow a specific pWWN, then auto-learning will not add a new entry to allow any other
pWWN on that interface. All other pWWNs will be blocked even in auto-learning mode.
No entries are learned for a port in the shutdown state.
When you activate the port security feature, auto-learning is also automatically enabled.
Note If you enable auto-learning before activating port security, you cannot activate port security until
auto-learning is disabled.
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