Account for both virtual Fibre Channel WWN sets before live migration

What Fibre Channel identity should be reviewed before migrating a VM with a virtual HBA?

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DSE visual intelligenceNetworks & infrastructureGuide · 1 min read
Executive summary

What you need to know

What Fibre Channel identity should be reviewed before migrating a VM with a virtual HBA?

Potentially affected

Administrators connecting Hyper-V guests directly to Fibre Channel storage.

DSE recommendation

Create a mapping of the adapter’s two WWN sets to the authorized storage presentation on both hosts.

Source facts

Hyper-V virtual Fibre Channel gives a guest direct SAN access using a VM-associated World Wide Name. It relies on NPIV: starting a VM with a virtual HBA creates an NPIV port on the host, and stopping the VM removes it. The topology and SAN must support those ports. For live migration, each virtual adapter has two WWN sets and Hyper-V alternates between them. Microsoft documentation.

Applicability

Identify the guest workload, virtual HBA, physical ports, SAN, supported topology, and intended migration hosts. Review the complete platform requirements before adapting a virtual Fibre Channel example.

DSE recommendation

Create a mapping of the adapter’s two WWN sets to the authorized storage presentation on both hosts. Have the SAN owner review the mapping and confirm the intended LUN access. Include a maintenance and recovery decision for the workload before exercising a migration.

Verification

Validate guest storage access on the source host and after an approved migration to the destination. Record the active WWN identity and the LUNs actually visible at each step. Test the planned return move and investigate missing storage or unexpected access before authorizing routine migration of that workload.

Official references

Microsoft Learn: Hyper-V Virtual Fibre Channel in Windows Server. Source reviewed September 8, 2026.

Primary reference

Review the official source

Hyper-V Virtual Fibre Channel in Windows Server · Verified September 8, 2026

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