HP Surestore 64 FW 05.01.00 and SW 07.01.00 HP StorageWorks SAN High Availabil - Page 25
Edge Switches, Edge Switch Performance
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Introduction to HP Fibre Channel Products Edge Switches Like directors, edge switches also provide high-performance, dynamic connections between end devices in a Fibre Channel switched network. Edge switches also support mainframe and OSI computing environments. Through non-blocking architecture and limited FRU redundancy, edge switches also offer high availability and high-performance bandwidth. Although edge switches do not offer the redundancy, availability, or port count of an enterprise-class director, they offer a much lower cost connectivity option. Edge switches should be installed for: ■ Implementation as the principal building block of a small-scale SAN or as a consolidation point for enterprise-class SANs. ■ Departmental and workgroup connectivity. ■ Applications where distributed storage predominates. Edge switches also provide connectivity between servers and devices manufactured by multiple OEMs. To determine if an OEM product can communicate through edge switch connections, or if communication restrictions apply, refer to the product publications or contact your HP marketing representative. Edge Switch Performance Edge switches provide an availability of 99.9% through a redundant configuration of power supplies and cooling fans. When an active FRU (power supply or fan) fails, the backup takes over operation automatically to maintain switch and Fibre Channel link operation. Availability is also provided through concurrent firmware upgrades and spare or unused Fibre Channel ports. Along with an availability factor of 99.999%, edge switches offer the same general performance features as directors, including high bandwidth, low latency, local control, low communication overhead, multiple topology support, and multiple service class support. SAN High Availability Planning Guide 25