topic Re: virtual connect FC module, multiple switch in BladeSystem - General

virtual connect FC module, multiple switch

rossb2 — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 00:23:17 GMT

I read on website http://vinf.net/2008/04/09/how-does-an-hp-fibre-channel-virtual-connect-module-work/

that a VC FC module can only connect to one FC switch. Is that correct, even on later modules like the HP VC 8GB 24-Port FC module?

Re: virtual connect FC module, multiple switch

Sivaramakrishna_1 — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 03:11:04 GMT

Hi,

VC FC Modules are Devices which is a Fabric port with NPIV.

It should be connected to SAN Switch with NPIV Supported Firmware.

I hope it is same for GGb 24 prt VC FC also.

Below are the specs of VCFC 8Gb 24 port. The first point clearly indicating that there uplink ports will be connected to external san switches.

8) 2/4/8Gb Auto-negotiating Fibre Channel uplinks connected to external SAN switches
(2) Fibre Channel SFP+ Transceivers included with the Virtual Connect Fibre Channel Module
(16) 1/2/4/8Gb Auto-negotiating Fibre Channel downlink ports provide maximum HBA performance
HBA Aggregation on uplinks ports using ANSI T11 standards-based N_Port ID Virtualization (NPIV) technology
Allows up to 255 virtual machines running on the same physical server to access separate storage resources
Extremely low latency throughput provides switch-like performance.

Re: virtual connect FC module, multiple switch

rossb2 — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:39:04 GMT

I should have been more specific, can a FC module be connected to one or multiple FC switches?

Re: virtual connect FC module, multiple switch

JKytsi — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:15:49 GMT

You can connect up to 4 SAN fabrics.
So Yes, up to four different switches IF those are different fabrics.