IBM Enterprise Storage Server 2105 E10, Introduction And Planning Manual

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Configuration
IBM logically configures your ESS during installation using the work sheets that you
completed from the
IBM Enterprise Storage Server Configuration Planner . After IBM
installs the ESS, you can perform additional configuration by using the ESS Web
interfaces. You can also change the remote service functions.
Fibre-channel connection
The ESS provides fibre-channel connection to open-systems hosts that it supports.
Fibre-channel interconnection architecture provides a variety of communication
protocols on the ESS. The units that are interconnected are referred to as
nodes .
Each node has one or more ports.
An ESS is a node in a fibre-channel network. Each port on an ESS fibre-channel
host adapter is a fibre-channel port. A host is also a node in a fibre-channel
network. Each port attaches to a serial-transmission medium that provides duplex
communication with the node at the other end of the medium.
With fibre-channel technology, the distance between an ESS and attached host
systems increases from the 25 m (75 ft) maximum imposed by SCSI connections
up to 500 m (1500 ft). The ESS can be up to 11 km (6.8 mi) from your host when
you connect to it with an IBM SAN fibre-channel switch. The ESS can also be the
same distance from your host when you connect to it with an IBM fibre-channel
storage hub.
ESS architecture supports three basic interconnection topologies:
v
Point-to-point
v
Switched fabric
v
Arbitrated loop
Point-to-point topology
The point-to-point topology, also known as direct connect, allows you to
interconnect ports directly. Figure 4 shows an illustration of a point-to-point topology.
Switched fabric topology
The switched fabric topology provides the underlying structure that allows you to
interconnect multiple nodes. You can use a fabric that provides the necessary
switching functions to support communication between multiple nodes. You can
implement a fabric by using available vendor products that the ESS supports. For a
list of these vendor products, see the ESS Web site at:
v
www.storage.ibm.com/hardsoft/products/ess/supserver.htm
S008944L
1
2
Legend
«1¬
is the host system.
«2¬
is the ESS.
Figure 4. Point-to-point topology
10
ESS Introduction and Planning