Operating Manual
U42093-J-Z716-1-74
Glossary
Fibre Channel (FC)
Logically, the Fibre Channel is a bidirectional, full-duplex, point-to-point,
serial data channel structured for high performance data communication.
Physically, the Fibre Channel is an interconnection of multiple communi-
cation ports, called N_Ports, interconnected by a switching network, called
a fabric, a point-to-point link, or an arbitrated loop. Fibre Channel is a gener-
alized transport mechanism that has no protocol of its own or native
input/output command set, but can transport any existing Upper Level
Protocols (ULPs) such as SCSI and IP.
Fibre Channel - Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL)
One of three existing Fibre Channel topologies, in which 2 to 126 devices are
interconnected serially in a single loop circuit. The arbitrated loop topology
supports all classes of service and guarantees in order delivery of frames
when the source and destination are on the same loop.
Fibre Channel Protocol for SCSI (FCP)
FCP defines a Fibre Channel mapping layer (FC-4) that uses FC-PH
services to transmit SCSI command, data, and status information between
a SCSI initiator and a SCSI target. Using FCP enables transmission and
receipt of SCSI commands, data and status, across the Fibre Channel using
the standard Fibre Channel frame and sequence formats.
Frame
The smallest, indivisible unit of information transfer used by Fibre Channel.
Frames are used for transferring data associated with a sequence. Frame
size depends on the hardware implementation and is independent of the
ULP or the application software.
Gigabaud Interface Converter
A physical component that manages the functions of the FC-0 layer, which
is the physical characteristic of the media and interface, including drivers,
transceivers, connectors, and cables. Mounts on a FC adapter card and
connects the PSFR-CP41 to a FC host. Also referred to as a Physical Link
Module (PLM).
Hardware Path
See FC-SCSI Hardware Path ID.
Host Bus Adapter
See FC Adapter.
