Airflow Considerations
The switch comes with fan modules and power supply units that have either port-side intake or port-side
exhaust airflow for cooling the switch. If you are orienting the switch with the FC ports facing a cold aisle,
make sure that the switch has a port-side intake fan and power supply modules with red colorings. If you
are orienting the switch with the fan and power supply modules facing a cold aisle, make sure that the
switch has port-side exhaust fan and power supply units with blue colorings. All fan modules and power-
supply modules must have the same direction of airflow.
Connection Guidelines for AC-Powered Systems
To connect to the IBM SAN48C-6 switch AC power supply units to the site power source, follow these
guidelines:
• For power redundancy, each power supply should be connected to a separate power feed (at a
minimum, separate branch circuits).
• Circuits should be sized according to local and national codes.
• The AC power receptacles that are used to power the chassis must be the grounding type. The
grounding conductors that connect to the receptacles should connect to protective earth ground in the
service equipment.
Installation Guidelines
Follow these guidelines when installing the IBM SAN48C-6 switch:
• Each new switch requires a license. See the NX-OS Licensing Guide for instructions on installing a
license.
• Plan your site configuration and prepare the site before installing the switch. The recommended site
planning tasks are listed in the Site Planning and Maintenance Records section.
• Ensure that there is adequate space around the switch to allow for servicing the switch and for
adequate airflow. The airflow requirements are listed the Technical Specifications section.
• Ensure that you are positioning the switch in a rack so that it takes in cold air from the cold aisle and
exhausts air to the hot aisle. For more information, see the Airflow Considerations section.
• Ensure that the air-conditioning meets the heat dissipation requirements listed in the Technical
Specifications section.
• Ensure that the cabinet or rack meets the requirements listed in the Cabinet and Rack Installation
section.
• Ensure that the chassis is adequately grounded. If the switch is not mounted in a grounded rack, we
recommend that you connect both the system ground on the chassis and the site power ground to an
earth ground.
• Ensure that the site power meets the power requirements listed in the Technical Specifications section.
If available, you can use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to protect against power failures.
CAUTION: Avoid UPS types that use ferro-resonant technology. These UPS types can become
unstable with systems such as the IBM c-type Series, triggered by substantial current draw
fluctuations due to fluctuating data traffic patterns.
• Ensure that the chassis is adequately grounded. If the switch is not mounted in a grounded rack, we
recommend that you connect both the system ground on the chassis and the site power ground to an
earth ground.
• Ensure that the site power meets the power requirements listed in the Technical Specifications section.
If available, you can use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to protect against power failures.
CAUTION: Avoid UPS types that use ferro-resonant technology. These UPS types can become
unstable with systems such as the IBM c-type Series, triggered by substantial current draw
fluctuations due to fluctuating data traffic patterns.
14 IBM Storage Networking: IBM Storage Networking SAN48C-6 32 Gbps 48-Port Fibre Channel Switch
Installation, Service, and User Guide
