FW 07.00.00/HAFM SW 08.06.00 McDATA SANpilot User Manual (620-000160-230, April 2005)

General Information

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General Information

The McDATA

Sphereon™ 3032and Sphereon™ 3232 Fabric Switches

provide dynamically switched connections between Fibre Channel

servers and devices in a storage area network (SAN) environment.

SANs introduce the concept of server-to-device networking and

multiswitch fabrics, eliminate requirements for dedicated

connections, and enable the enterprise to become data-centric.

A SAN provides speed, high capacity, and flexibility for the

enterprise, and is primarily based upon Fibre Channel architecture.

The Sphereon 3032 and Sphereon 3232 switches implement Fibre

Channel technology that provides a bandwidth of either 1.0625

gigabits per second (Sphereon 3032) or 2.125 gigabits per second

(Sphereon 3232), redundant switched data paths, a scalable number

of active ports, and long transmission distances (up to 20 kilometers).

This chapter describes the switch and switch management tdhrough

the attached Enterprise Fabric Connectivity (EFC) Server. The chapter

specifically discusses:

• Switch management, error-detection and reporting features,

serviceability features, zoning, multiswitch fabrics, and

specifications.

• The management server and minimum hardware specifications.

• Remote workstation configurations and hardware specifications.

• Maintenance approach.

• Field-replaceable units (FRUs).

• Connectors and indicators.

• Software diagnostic features.

• Tools and test equipment.