Fibre Channel ServerNet Adapter Installation and Support Guide (G06.28+, H06.06+, J06.03+)

1 Introduction to the FCSA
• “Overview of the FCSA ” (page 15)
• “FCSA System Connections” (page 22)
• “Firmware” (page 22)
• “Manufacturing Naming Conventions” (page 22)
• “Relationship to the Enterprise Storage System (ESS)” (page 23)
• “Relationship to the Fibre Channel Disk Module (FCDM)” (page 25)
• “Relationship to Modular Tape” (page 27)
• “Relationship to Fibre Channel Tape Drives” (page 27)
Overview of the FCSA
The M8840 FCSA is installed in an I/O adapter module (IOAM) enclosure and provides Fibre
Channel connectivity between:
• A NonStop S-series system and:
— An Enterprise Storage System (ESS)
— A Fibre Channel disk module (FCDM) containing M8xxx Fibre Channel disks
— Fibre Channel tape drives
NOTE: For information about installing and configuring Fibre Channel tape drives,
refer to the manual for the particular product. For information about the Fibre Channel
tape drives supported for direct connection to an FCSA, refer to the NonStop S-Series
Hardware Installation and FastPath Guide.
• An Integrity NonStop NS-series system and:
— A Fibre Channel disk module (FCDM) containing M8xxx Fibre Channel disks
— An ESS
— A M8201 Fibre Channel to SSCI router, a device that allows connection to tape drives
When you connect a NonStop system to an ESS, the FCSA allows you to connect through a direct
connect or through a storage area network (SAN) (switched connect). (In this manual, SAN
refers to a storage area network and ServerNet SAN refers to a ServerNet system area network.)
FCSA installation slots differ by server model. To determine the installation slots for your FCSAs,
see the planning guide for your server model (for example, the Integrity NonStop NS1000 Planning
Guide).
The FCSA has two ports that allow connection to external, Fibre Channel-enabled devices. The
following figure shows these ports.
FCSA Features
• Supports both 2-Gbps or 1-Gbps Fibre Channel protocol.
NOTE: The FCSA supports both 2-Gbps and 1-Gbps Fibre Channel speeds. A 1-Gbps Fibre
Channel cable typically has a Subscriber Channel (SC connector) that does not install on an
FCSA unless an adapter is used. If the ESS Fibre Channel port is a 1-Gbps port, the link
operates at 1-Gbps even if the Fibre Channel cable connected to the FCSA is a 2-Gbps cable.
You cannot control the speed of the FCSA port; it runs at the speed of the port at the other
end of the cable.
• Supports 2-Gbps multimode fiber cables for distances of up to 250 meters.
• Supports a 2-Gbps Fibre Channel switched fabric interface to ESS.
Overview of the FCSA 15