ServerNet/FX Adapter Configuration and Management Manual

Table Of Contents

Overview of the ServerNet/FX Adapter Subsystem

ServerNet/FX Adapter Configuration and Management Manual—426872-002

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ServerNet/FX Adapter Subsystem Overview

The ServerNet/FX adapter subsystem is a fiber-optic extension of the ServerNet

X-fabric and Y-fabric on NonStop S-series servers. The ServerNet/FX adapter

subsystem allows a NonStop S-series server to participate in an existing FOX ring.

Overview of a FOX Ring

FOX is an abbreviation of Fiber Optic eXtension. A FOX ring consists of two separate,

bidirectional, fiber-optic rings and can connect as many as 14 systems in a limited

geographical area when NonStop S-series servers are configured as part of a FOX

ring. HP provides different hardware and software products to enable you to connect

various types of NonStop systems in a FOX ring. Each system in a FOX ring is called a

cluster (also known as a node).

Physical Layout of a FOX Ring

A FOX network is physically connected as a ring. The physical structure of a FOX ring

requires that each system be physically linked to each of its immediate neighbors by

means of a fiber-optic cable.

Within each cable are five optical fibers: X-transmit left and right, X-receive left and

right, Y-transmit left and right, Y-receive left and right, and a spare left and right. These

fibers provide two full-duplex paths between each pair of systems. X-transmit and X-

receive constitute one data path. Y-transmit and Y-receive constitute the other data

path. The X and Y paths are controlled by separate adapters.

This redundancy provides one of the methods that makes a FOX ring fault-tolerant.

The two full-duplex paths between any pair of systems ensure that communications

are not lost if one of the paths fails. Even if both paths fail, the ring configuration

provides a fail-safe alternate route that is used automatically. Figure 1-1 shows the

physical and logical layout of a FOX ring with four clusters.

Note. A NonStop S-series server in a FOX ring can only directly communicate with other

NonStop systems running D30 or later versions of the HP NonStop™ Kernel operating system.

Note. The ServerNet/FX adapter subsystem does not support TorusNet configurations.

Note. The term ServerNet/FX adapter refers to the ServerNet/FX and the ServerNet/FX 2

adapter hardware.

Note. The term FOX ring is used in this manual to refer to networks that are connected using

FOXII, TorusNet, or ServerNet/FX adapter hardware.