HP Surestore 64 FW 05.01.00 and SW 07.01.00 HP StorageWorks SAN High Availabil - Page 20

The Fibre Channel signaling protocol, Multiple topology support, Multiple service class support

Page 20 highlights

Introduction to HP Fibre Channel Products ■ Multiple topology support - Directors support both point-to-point and multi-switch fabric topologies, and indirectly support arbitrated loop topology. - Point-to-point topology provides a single direct connection between two device N_Ports. This topology supports bidirectional transmission between source and destination ports. Through dynamic switching, directors configure different point-to-point transmission paths. In all cases, connected N_Ports use 100% of the available bandwidth. - A multi-switch fabric topology provides the ability to connect directors and edge switches through expansion ports (E_Ports) and interswitch links (ISLs) to form a Fibre Channel fabric. Directors receive data from a device, and based on the destination N_Port address, route the data through the fabric (and possibly through multiple switch elements) to the destination device. - An arbitrated loop topology connects multiple device node loop ports (NL_Ports) in a loop (or hub) configuration without benefit of a multi-switch fabric. Although directors do not support direct connection of arbitrated loop devices, such devices can communicate with directors through loop switches supplied by HP. ■ Multiple service class support - The Fibre Channel signaling protocol provides several classes of transmission service that support framing protocol and flow control between ports. Directors support: - Class 2 transmission service that provides connectionless multiplexed frame delivery service with acknowledgment. Class 2 Service is best suited for mainstream computing applications. - Class 3 transmission service that provides connectionless, best-effort multiplexed datagram frame delivery with no acknowledgment. Class 3 service is best suited for mass storage or video applications. - Class F transmission service that is used by multiple directors to communicate across ISLs to configure, control, and coordinate the behavior of a multi-switch fabric. 20 SAN High Availability Planning Guide

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • 40
  • 41
  • 42
  • 43
  • 44
  • 45
  • 46
  • 47
  • 48
  • 49
  • 50
  • 51
  • 52
  • 53
  • 54
  • 55
  • 56
  • 57
  • 58
  • 59
  • 60
  • 61
  • 62
  • 63
  • 64
  • 65
  • 66
  • 67
  • 68
  • 69
  • 70
  • 71
  • 72
  • 73
  • 74
  • 75
  • 76
  • 77
  • 78
  • 79
  • 80
  • 81
  • 82
  • 83
  • 84
  • 85
  • 86
  • 87
  • 88
  • 89
  • 90
  • 91
  • 92
  • 93
  • 94
  • 95
  • 96
  • 97
  • 98
  • 99
  • 100
  • 101
  • 102
  • 103
  • 104
  • 105
  • 106
  • 107
  • 108
  • 109
  • 110
  • 111
  • 112
  • 113
  • 114
  • 115
  • 116
  • 117
  • 118
  • 119
  • 120
  • 121
  • 122
  • 123
  • 124
  • 125
  • 126
  • 127
  • 128
  • 129
  • 130
  • 131
  • 132
  • 133
  • 134
  • 135
  • 136
  • 137
  • 138
  • 139
  • 140
  • 141
  • 142
  • 143
  • 144
  • 145
  • 146
  • 147
  • 148
  • 149
  • 150
  • 151
  • 152
  • 153
  • 154
  • 155
  • 156
  • 157
  • 158
  • 159
  • 160
  • 161
  • 162
  • 163
  • 164
  • 165
  • 166
  • 167
  • 168
  • 169
  • 170
  • 171
  • 172
  • 173
  • 174

Introduction to HP Fibre Channel Products
20
SAN High Availability Planning Guide
Multiple topology support —
Directors support both point-to-point and
multi-switch fabric topologies, and indirectly support arbitrated loop
topology.
Point-to-point topology provides a single direct connection between two
device N_Ports. This topology supports bidirectional transmission
between source and destination ports. Through dynamic switching,
directors configure different point-to-point transmission paths. In all
cases, connected N_Ports use 100% of the available bandwidth.
A multi-switch fabric topology provides the ability to connect directors
and edge switches through expansion ports (E_Ports) and interswitch
links (ISLs) to form a Fibre Channel fabric. Directors receive data from a
device, and based on the destination N_Port address, route the data
through the fabric (and possibly through multiple switch elements) to the
destination device.
An arbitrated loop topology connects multiple device node loop ports
(NL_Ports) in a loop (or hub) configuration without benefit of a
multi-switch fabric. Although directors do not support direct connection
of arbitrated loop devices, such devices can communicate with directors
through loop switches supplied by HP.
Multiple service class support —
The Fibre Channel signaling protocol
provides several classes of transmission service that support framing protocol
and flow control between ports. Directors support:
Class 2 transmission service that provides connectionless multiplexed
frame delivery service with acknowledgment. Class 2 Service is best
suited for mainstream computing applications.
Class 3 transmission service that provides connectionless, best-effort
multiplexed datagram frame delivery with no acknowledgment. Class 3
service is best suited for mass storage or video applications.
Class F transmission service that is used by multiple directors to
communicate across ISLs to configure, control, and coordinate the
behavior of a multi-switch fabric.