FortiGate-5050 fabric backplane communication
FortiSwitch-5003A and 5003 Fabric and Base Backplane Communications Guide
01-30000-85717-20081205 47
FortiGate-5050 fabric backplane
communication
The FortiGate-5505 chassis has two fabric backplane Ethernet channels that can
operate at 1 Gbps or 10 Gbps. Available connections to these channels vary by
hub/switch slot number.
• Hub/switch slot 1 can connect to the first fabric backplane channel (channel 1),
and thereby all other chassis slots, except hub/switch slot 2.
• Hub/switch Slot 2 can connect the to the second fabric backplane channel
(channel 2), and thereby all other chassis slots, except hub/switch slot 1.
• Other slots can connect to either or both channels, but only directly reach
hub/switch slot 1 or hub/switch slot 2. Connections to other slots through the
fabric backplane channels must pass through hub/switch slot 1 or hub/switch
slot 2.
Because of the fabric backplane dual star topology, connecting to or through the
fabric backplane requires FortiSwitch-5003A boards installed in hub/switch slot 1,
hub/switch slot 2, or both. FortiSwitch-5003A front panel fabric interfaces can also
connect the chassis fabric backplane channels to external devices, such as a
management computer, the network, or the fabric backplane of another chassis.
FortiGate-5001A boards and FortiGate-5005FA2 boards can connect to the fabric
backplane at 1 Gbps. With the addition of a FortiGate-RTM-XB2 modules,
FortiSwitch-5001A boards can also connect to the fabric backplane at 10 Gbps.
The FortiGate-5001SX board and FortiGate-5001FA2 board do not include fabric
backplane interfaces.
Note: For more information on chassis architecture, see ATCA (Advanced Telecom
Computing Architecture) specifications.
Note: FortiSwitch-5003 boards do not support fabric backplane switching.
Table 11: Names of fabric backplane interfaces by FortiGate model
Model Name of fabric backplane
interface 1 (to slot 1)
Name of fabric backplane
interface 2 (to slot 2)
FortiGate-5001A fabric1 fabric2
FortiGate-5005FA2 fabric1 fabric2
FortiGate-5001FA2 N/A N/A
FortiGate-5001SX N/A N/A