HP Surestore 64 FW 05.01.00 and SW 07.01.00 HP StorageWorks SAN High Availabil - Page 66

Planning Considerations for Fibre Channel Topologies B_Port Embedded FL_Port Loop Switch H_Ports D1 S1 Figure 26: Private loop connectivity Planning for Private Arbitrated Loop Connectivity Private arbitrated loop topology supports the clustering of isolated servers and storage subsystems into workgroup or departmental SANs. This topology is well suited to small and mid-sized configurations where modest connectivity levels and high data transmission speeds are required. The topology also supports low-cost switching and connectivity in environments where the per-port cost of a director is prohibitive. Private arbitrated loop topology: ■ Supports the connection of up to 125 node (device) ports. ■ Reduces connection costs by distributing the routing function through each loop port (loop functionality is a small addition to normal Fibre Channel port functionality). ■ Provides a fully blocking architecture that allows a single connection between any pair of loop ports at any time. Connections between a third loop port and busy ports are blocked until communication between the first connection pair ends. 66 SAN High Availability Planning Guide