Silicon Graphics Total Performance 9300, User Manual

Page: 87 / 120

Connecting the System to the Hosts
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Connecting the System to the Hosts
You can connect your system to a host computer (or multiple host computers) in many
ways. The following figures show typical examples of connecting either by direct connect
or fabric connect. All examples assume dual-controller high -availability (HA)
configurations. The following topics are covered:
• “Examples of Direct Host Connection Cabling” on page 69
• “Examples of Fabric/Switch Host Connection Cabling” on page 72
• “Connecting Ethernet and Serial Cables for Array Management” on page 73
Warning:
Electrostatic discharge can damage sensitive components. Use
appropriate antistatic precautions before handling any components.
Examples of Direct Host Connection Cabling
The TP9300 can be connected directly to one or two hosts. These connections can be
configured with or without failover. Failover is a method of transferring I/O requests
from one controller to another when a component failure or other error occurs on the
data path to the first controller. Depending on the operating system of your host(s), you
may be able to choose from several failover options.
Note: If the host’s operating system does not support failover, the host can only be
connected to one controller. See Figure 5-5.
The following sections contain more information:
• “Direct Connection with Failover” on page 70
• “Direct Connection without Failover” on page 71