Fiber Channel v How-To

1

• Fiber Channel v How-To

Basic
2
Standard

• Fiber Channel is an open standard communications
  and transport protocol as defined by ANSI and
  operates over copper and fiber optic cabling at
  distances of up to 10 kilometers.
• Single-mode (SM) fiber allows for only one
  pathway, or mode, of light to travel within the
  fiber.
• Multi-mode (MM) fiber allows more than one mode
  of light. Multi-mode fiber is better suited for
  shorter distance applications.
• Fiber Channel Speed up to 1Gb/s, 2Gb/s, 4Gb/s
• Maximum Transmission Unit 64 kB but in theory
  unlimited

The structure of a fiber optic cable
Fiber Channel adapter cable
3
Topology

• Point-to-point
• This is the simplest topology to configure. A
  point-to-point configuration is a direct
  connection between two endpoints.
• Arbitrated loop
• This is a ring topology that shares the
  fiber-channel bandwidth among multiple endpoints.
  The loop is implemented within a hub that
  interconnects the endpoints
• An arbitrated scheme is used to determine which
  endpoint gets control of the loop. The maximum
  number of ports is 127.
• Switched fabric
• This topology provides the most flexibility and
  makes the best use of the aggregated bandwidth by
  the use of switched connections between
  endpoints.
• One or more switches are interconnected to create
  a fabric, to which the endpoints are connected

4
Terminology

• Node
• A node is an endpoint that contains information.
  It can be a computer (host), a device controller,
  or a peripheral device (such as disk or tape
  drives).
• Port
• Each node must have at least one port (hardware
  interface) to connect the node to the FC
  topology. This node port is referred to as an
  N_Port.
• Other port types include
• E_Port An expansion port is used to interconnect
  switches and build a switched fabric.
• F_Port A fabric port is used to connect an N_Port
  to a switch that is not loop-capable.
• FL_Port A fabric loop port is used to connect
  NL_Ports to a switch in a loop configuration.
• G_Port A generic port is a port that has not
  assumed a role in the fabric.
• L_Port A loop port is a port in a Fibre Channel
  Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) topology.
• NL_Port A node loop port is an N_Port with loop
  capabilities.

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Naming and addressing

• Worldwide node name (WWNN)
• Worldwide port name (WWPN)
• This is similar to the way that all Ethernet
  cards have a unique MAC address
  (eg.0x5005076300cd9589)

• Port Addressing
• - Domain
• - Area
• - Port or arbitrated loop physical address ALPA

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FC CERN infrastructure
Tape Server
Tape Robot
Fiber
Tape Drives
Qlogic Fiber Channel Bus Adapter
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FC CERN infrastructure
Port Id 0 x 00 00 01
Port Id 0 x 00 00 EF
Private loop port id first 4 bytes 0 last 2 bytes
ALPA table. Port id with lowest address
arbitrates the loop.
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FC host bus adapter configuration
Adapter Menu
Main Menu
Target Menu
SCLI Qlogic command line interface
9
FC tape drive configuration
Locally in tape drive (menu, select button)
Remotely with StdsWin (if RJ-45 connection
available)

10
FC tape drive addressing
The unknown famous ALPA table
0x01 0x02 0x04 0x08 0x0F 0x10 0x17 0x18 0x1B
0x1D 0x1E 0x1F 0x23 0x25 0x26 0x27 0x29 0x2A
0x2B 0x2C 0x2D 0x2E 0x31 0x32 0x33 0x34 0x35
0x36 0x39 0x3A 0x3C 0x43 0x45 0x46 0x47 0x49
0x4A 0x4B 0x4C 0x4D 0x4E 0x51 0x52 0x53 0x54
0x55 0x56 0x59 0x5A 0x5C 0x63 0x65 0x66 0x67
0x69 0x6A 0x6B 0x6C 0x6D 0x6E 0x71 0x72 0x73
0x74 0x75 0x76 0x79 0x7A 0x7C 0x80 0x81 0x82
0x84 0x88 0x8F 0x90 0x97 0x98 0x9B 0x9D 0x9E
0x9F 0xA3 0xA5 0xA6 0xA7 0xA9 0xAA 0xAB 0xAC
0xAD 0xAE 0xB1 0xB2 0xB3 0xB4 0xB5 0xB6 0xB9
0xBA 0xBC 0xC3 0xC5 0xC6 0xC7 0xC9 0xCA 0xCB
0xCC 0xCD 0xCE 0xD1 0xD2 0xD3 0xD4 0xD5 0xD6
0xD9 0xDA 0xDC 0xE0 0xE1 0xE2 0xE4 0xE8 0xEF
Use a new Physical address each time/use the same
Physical address each time
9940 tape drive view cfg menu
Search Loop Id in high/low order
Index to the ALPA table, 08 0xD9
Max data size
24 bit address
WWPN
08 . . 02 01 00