HP StorageWorks 4000 Compaq RAID Array 4000 Overview - Page 12

Compaq RAID Array 4000 Overview 12 Cables The RA4000 uses 50-micron, multi-mode fiber optic cable, and 9-micron, single-mode fiber optic cable. The RA4000 ships with a 2-meter multi-mode cable. The Fibre Channel Host Adapter ships with a 5-meter multi-mode cable. Standard lengths for multi-mode cable option kits are 2 meter, 5 meter, 15 meter, 30 meter, and 50 meter. For installations requiring longer cable lengths, single-mode cables, or additional cables, customers may contact a Compaq reseller or special cable supplier. Refer to www.compaq.com and www.networks.digital.com/dr/opendec for more detailed information on Fibre Channel transmission, types of cable, and connection components. Figure 6. Fiber optic cable Hardware Architecture Fibre Channel is the best interconnect technology to overcome inherent I/O and physical limitations of SCSI technology and to propel future growth of enterprise storage. For its first scalable Fibre Channel storage solution for x86-based servers, Compaq selected FC-AL topology. An FC-AL is a serial interface that creates logical point-to-point connections between ports. Because it uses the minimum number of transceivers and no centralized switching function, FC-AL provides a low-cost, yet highly flexible solution. Each Fibre Channel node has one or more ports that enable external communication. Each port uses two fibers to communicate with its neighboring ports on the loop, one for incoming information and the other for outgoing information. All of the components that connect ports comprise the interconnect topology. ECG0205699A