HP StorageWorks 64 FW 07.00.00/HAFM SW 08.06.00 McDATA Products in a SAN Envir - Page 39

Introduction to McDATA Multi-Protocol Products 1 Figure 1-4 Intrepid 10000 Director The director supports McDATA's non-blocking nScale™ architecture that allows the product to be flexibly partitioned into multiple (up to four) separate directors (FlexPar™ feature), each with its own management and Fibre Channel services subsystems. In addition, the director supports concurrent firmware downloads through HotCAT technology. FlexPar-specific software can also be independently and concurrently upgraded. The combination of high port count and the FlexPar feature enables an enterprise to use the director at the core of both small and large SAN fabrics. For example: • Large fabrics built around the director require fewer fabric elements (directors and switches) and ISLs. Large fabrics benefit from deterministic non-blocking performance, less ISL congestion, and better cable management. This performance is not possible from a fabric constructed with smaller port-count switches interconnected with multiple ISLs. Refer to General Fabric Design Considerations for information. Introduction to McDATA Multi-Protocol Products 1-13