HP StorageWorks 2/64 HP StorageWorks Fabric OS 5.x Command Reference Guide (AA - Page 805

Fibre Channel Fibre Channel transport FICON FID fill word firmware firmware watermarking FL_Port flash FLOGI FOTP FPD FPGA fractional bandwidth frame frame relay FRU FS The primary protocol used for building SANs to transmit data between servers, switches, and storage devices. Unlike IP and Ethernet, Fibre Channel was designed to support the needs of storage devices of all types. It is a high-speed, serial, bidirectional, topology-independent, multiprotocol, and highly scalable interconnection between computers, peripherals, and networks. A protocol service that supports communication between Fibre Channel service providers. See also FSP. A protocol used on IBM mainframes. HP StorageWorks switch FICON support enables an HP StorageWorks fabric to transmit FICON format data between FICON-capable servers and storage. Fabric ID. Unique identifier of a fabric in a meta-SAN. An IDLE or ARB ordered set that is transmitted during breaks between data frames to keep the Fibre Channel link active. The basic operating system provided with the hardware. An HP StorageWorks switch feature that prevents an incompatible version of the HP Fabric OS to be downloaded to the HP StorageWorks 2 GB series switches. Fabric loop port. A port that is able to transmit under fabric protocol and also has arbitrated-loop capabilities. Can be used to connect an NL_Port to a switch. See also F_Port, Fx_Port. Programmable nonvolatile RAM (NVRAM) memory that maintains its contents without power. Fabric login. The process by which an N_Port determines whether a fabric is present and, if so, exchanges service parameters with it. See also PLOGI. Fiber Optic Test Procedure. Standards developed and published by the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) under the EIA-RS-455 series of standards. Field-programmable device. Interchangeable with "PLD". Field-programmable gate array. An FPD that allows high logic capacity. The partial use of a link to send data back and forth, with a maximum of 254 Class 4 connections per N_Port. The Fibre Channel structure used to transmit data between ports. Consists of a start-of-frame delimiter, header, optional headers, data payload, cyclic redundancy check (CRC), and end-of-frame delimiter. There are two types of frames: link control frames (transmission acknowledgements and so forth) and data frames. A protocol that uses logical channels, as used in X.25. Provides very little error-checking ability. Discards frames that arrive with errors. Allows a certain level of bandwidth between two locations (known as a committed information rate: CIR) to be guaranteed by service provider. If CIR is exceeded for short periods (known as bursts), the network accommodates the extra data, if spare capacity is available. Frame relay is therefore known as bandwidth on demand. Field-replaceable unit. A component that can be replaced onsite. Fibre Channel service. A service that is defined by Fibre Channel standards and exists at a well-known address. For example, the Simple Name Server is a Fibre Channel service. See also FSP. Fabric OS 5.x command reference guide 805