What is the purpose of WWPN?

The purpose of the World Wide Port Name (WWPN) is to identify a node in a Storage Area Network (SAN). Each WWPN is a unique identifier assigned to Fibre Channel ports on storage devices, hosts, and switches. This unique identification allows for proper communication and management of data across the SAN, facilitating the establishment of consistent paths for data transfer.

In a SAN environment, each device or node needs to be uniquely recognized to ensure data integrity and efficient networking. The WWPN enables administrators to configure zoning and management protocols, which helps in maintaining a secure and organized storage environment. Having a unique identifier for each node also reduces the chances of address conflicts and improves overall network performance.

The other choices focus on different functionalities that are not the primary purpose of a WWPN. Providing a unique name for a virtual machine relates more to VM management within a hypervisor rather than storage networking. Facilitating backup snapshots pertains to data recovery processes and virtualization management. Determining storage allocation connects more closely with storage provisioning strategies rather than the identification of nodes within a SAN.