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Appendix A A-5
Fibre Channel Overview
Implementing Fibre Channel
Fibre Channel
Overview
Implementing Fibre Channel
Whether designing a new system or enhancing a system that is in place,
Fibre Channel offers significant speed and distance and cost advantages.
Fibre Channel works with existing systems and software, with the
addition of a Fibre Channel HBA; new systems are not required to take
advantage of Fibre Channel technology.
Distributed Devices
Computer and storage systems can be separated and distributed more
efficiently because of the distance capability of Fibre Channel.
Contrasting with the address range and distance limitations of SCSI,
adding storage with a Fibre Channel system does not require adding
servers, except when extra performance is needed.
Supporting distributed configurations, Fibre Channel improves disaster
recovery planning. Faster speeds and greater transmission distances
allow for remotely located backup systems.
Cabling Advantages
Using less cable-associated hardware than a typical SCSI environment,
Fibre Channel reduces total system costs and supports greater
performance. Easily added, and often using LAN cables, Fibre Channel
cable is smaller and lighter than SCSI cable, making it easier to install
and manage.
Fibre Channel supports copper and optical cables. Optical cable, while
more expensive, will carry data further than copper and is not
susceptible to noise interference. Although current HBA drivers use
SCSI commands, future driver enhancements will support other
protocols specified for Fibre Channel, including LAN. Optical cables,
carrying LAN protocols, will be used in place of existing LAN cabling in
the future.