HP StorageWorks 4000/6000/8000 .HP StorageWorks SAN Design Reference Guide, Pa - Page 157

7 M-series switches and fabric rules This chapter describes the M-series switches and the fabric rules for building M-series fabrics. It describes the following topics: • M-series switches, page 157 • Fibre Channel fabric rules, page 161 NOTE: See "SAN fabric connectivity and switch interoperability rules" on page 167 for information about using switches from the different series in the same SAN or the same fabric. M-series switches M-series switches: • Can be core or edge switches. When configured in a core-edge fabric topology, a core switch typically connects to other switches in the SAN; an edge switch typically connects to servers and storage. • Have 10, 12, 24, 32, 64, or 140 ports. • Include entry-level and high-availability switches. • Use the same level of internal firmware for the same switch models. • Support plug-and-play compatibility. • Support iSCSI (see "iSCSI storage" on page 355) and FCIP (see "SAN extension" on page 279). Contact an HP storage representative for information about switch model support with iSCSI and FCIP. The M-series switches offer: • High availability • Scalability • Cost efficiency SAN Design Reference Guide 157