Fibre Channel Erin Keith CPE 401 Spring, 2011
Fibre Channel Storage Area Networks Overview Functionality Format Applications References
Storage Area Networks A dedicated storage area that can improve system performance by making storage devices available to servers Block level storage File systems
Storage Area Networks
Include: servers Databases High usage file servers Transactionally accessed data that requires high-speed block-level access to the hard drives
Storage Area Network Benefits: Simplifies administration Flexibility Boot servers from SAN Easy replacement of faulty servers Better disaster recovery Fibre Channel
Fibre Channel Overview Began 1988 to replace the HIPPI system A GB speed network technology primarily used for storage networks Uses optical fiber, coaxial cable, twisted pair
Fibre Channel Functionality Ports Not necessarily hardware port Disk storage Host bus adapter World Wide Name (WWN) Switch Compatible with protocol
Fibre Channel Functionality Topologies (and protocols) Point – 2 – point Arbitrated Loop Switched Fabric Switches manage state Traffic between ports Port failure isolated Pairs communicate simultaneously
Fibre Channel Format Layers FC4 – Protocol Mapping Layer IP or Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) encapsulated by a protocol data unit
Fibre Channel Format Layers FC3 – Common Services Layer Could eventually implement encryption or RAID
Fibre Channel Format Layers FC2 – Network Layer Defines main protocols More…
Fibre Channel Format Layers FC1 – Datalink Layer Line coding of signals Similar to OSI model
Fibre Channel Format Layers FC0 – Physical Layer Cables Connectors Fibre channel electrical interface Fibre channel optical interface
Fibre Channel Format Main Protocols Transmission word 4 10-bit codes Ordered set Transmission word with K control codes and D data codes
Fibre Channel Format Main Protocols Arbitrated Loop Physical Address AL_PAQuantityPurpose 001FL (fabric) port 01-7E126NL (normal) ports F01 Used during LIP and ARB F71Used during LIP F81Used during LIP F9-FE3Reserved FF1Used for broadcasts
Fibre Channel Format Main Protocols Meta-data Primitives 4 character transmission word with different meanings Non-data frames Link service, link control, and extended link service
Fibre Channel Applications Fibre Channel over IP Internet Fibre Channel Protocol Storage tunneling Wraps Fibre Channel data in IP packets but maps IP addresses to individual Fibre Channel devices
Fibre Channel Applications Fibre Channel over Ethernet Replaces FC 0 and FC1 with Ethernet Integrate both HBAs and NICs on same adapter card
References jsp?topic=%2Fcom.ibm.itsmmsmunn.doc%2Fanrsgd5571.htm jsp?topic=%2Fcom.ibm.itsmmsmunn.doc%2Fanrsgd5571.htm ls ls gy_support_protocol_home.html gy_support_protocol_home.html