HP StorageWorks Fabric OS 6.1.1 administrator guide (5697-0235, December 2009)
Fabric OS 6.1.x administrator guide 311
16 Using the FC-FC routing service
FC-FC routing service overview
The FC-FC routing service provides Fibre Channel routing (FCR) between two or more fabrics without
merging those fabrics. A Fibre Channel router (FC router) is a switch running the FC-FC routing service. The
FC-FC routing service can be used simultaneously as an FC router and as a SAN extension over wide area
networks (WANs) using FCIP. FCR supports backbone-to-edge routing, allowing devices in the backbone
to communicate with devices on the edge fabric.
For example, using FCR you can share tape drives across multiple fabrics without the administrative
problems, such as change management, network management, scalability, reliability, availability, and
serviceability, that might result from merging the fabrics.
FCR also supports interoperability with some versions of M-EOS. For more information about M-EOS
interoperability support, see Appendix C, ”Interoperating with an M-EOS fabric” on page 469.
For information about migrating from a MP Router to a 400 MP Router, see Appendix D, ”Migrating from
an MP Router to a 400 MP Router” on page 471.
Supported platforms
FC-FC Routing is supported on the following platforms:
• 400 MP Router
• 8/40 SAN Switch
• 8/80 SAN Switch
• 4/256 SAN Director
• DC SAN Backbone Director (short name, DC Director) (FC8-16, FC8-32, FC8-48, or FR4-18i blade)
NOTE: The DC Director supports only chassis configuration option 5.
For the DC Director, EX_Ports on 8-Gbps port blades and EX_Ports on the FR4-18i blade can exist in the
same chassis, but cannot be online at the same time. However, EX_Ports on 8-Gbps port blades and
VEX_Ports can be online at the same time in the same chassis. EX_Ports are supported only on the FR4-18i
and 8-Gbps port blades. Ports on the 8-Gbps core blade cannot be configured as EX_Ports. The DC
Director has a limit of 128 EX_Ports for each chassis.
For the 4/256 SAN Director, EX_Ports are supported only on the FR4-18i blade and are not supported on
8-Gbps port blades.
License requirements for Fibre Channel routing
Fibre Channel routing on 8-Gbps ports requires an Integrated Routing license, which enables you to create
and bring up EX_Ports. You need an Integrated Routing license for the following:
• DC Director (8-Gbps port blades)
• 8/40 SAN Switch
• 8/80 SAN Switch
You do not need a license for EX_Ports on the 400 MP Router or FR4-18i blade.
For the DC Director, if you do not have an Integrated Routing license, you cannot use EX_Ports on the
8-Gbps port blades; you can, however, use EX_Ports on the FR4-18i blade without a license.
NOTE: Enabling the Integrated Routing license and capability does not require a switch reboot.