Network Router User Manual
SAN Design: March 29, 2001 3:18 pm
53-0001575-01 BROCADE Technical Note Page: 22 of 31
FIGURE 17. Valid and Invalid Configurations using Inter Switch Links
3.3 CABLING AND MEDIA INTERFACES
Fibre channel supports several cable and optical media interface options.
• The shortest supported optical cable length is 2 meters. Using shorter cables could exceed the expected signal output at the optical
GBIC and is not recommended per the Fibre Channel standards.
NOTE:Recent recommendations to the T11 standards group have resulted in approval of a shorter cable lengths as part of
the Fibre Channel standards. Lengths of 12 inches are in the final stages of being ratified by the standards group.
• With Short Wave Length GBICs (Gigabit Interface Connectors), cable lengths can be 200m (with 62.5 micron multi-mod fiber) or
500m (with 50 micron multi-mode fiber cable).
• With Long Wave Length GBICs, single mode fiber cable lengths of up to 10 KM are supported
• These cables and distances are what BROCADE supports with the standard shipping product and BROCADE components. A
BROCADE OEM switch model may use different components and may allow for different distances.
• Copper cabling is also supported. A passive copper GBIC can be used with cable lengths of up to 13m. The BROCADE supplied
GBIC uses an HSSDC connector [this connector type is an alternative to the DB-9 connector used in many Gigabit Link Module
(GLM) copper connections]. Active copper GBICS allow the distance to be increased to 30m. Copper is typically used intra-cabinet
Valid Configuration Using 16 ISL’s
Not Valid Config - 9 ISL’s
Between Two Switches
Note: connection of more than 8 ISLs leaving
7 or less open ports does not make sense for
traffic routing in a 16 port switch.