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The on demand operating environment requires fast data
access, continuous data availability, and improved fl exibil-
ity all with lower cost of ownership. zSeries Fibre Channel
Connectivity can help you achieve these goals.
Native FICON Channels
Native FICON channels and devices can help to reduce
bandwidth constraints and channel contention to enable
easier server consolidation, new application growth,
large business intelligence queries and exploitation of
e-business.
Currently, the IBM Enterprise Storage Server
®
(ESS)
models F20 and 800 have two host adapters to support
native FICON. These host adapters each have one port
per card and can either be FC 3021 for long wavelength
or FC 3032 for short wavelength on the F10/F20 or FC
3024 for long wavelength and 3025 for short wavelength
on the 800. All three models can support up to 16 FICON
ports per ESS. The Model 800 is 2 Gb link capable. The
IBM TotalStorage
®
Enterprise Tape Controller 3590 Model
A60 provides up to two FICON interfaces which can coex-
ist with ESCON on the same box. The IBM TotalStorage
Enterprise Tape Controller 3592-J70 which provides up to
four FICON interfaces which can exist with ESCON on the
same box. The 3592-J70 is designed to provide up to 1.5
times the throuput of the Model A60. Customers can utilize
IBM’s highest capacity, highest performance tape drive to
support their new business models.
Many Fibre Channel directors provide dynamic connec-
tivity to native FICON control units. The IBM 2032 models
001, 064 and 140 (resell of the McDATA ED-5000, and
Intrepid 6000 Series Directors) are 32-, 64- and 140-port
high availability directors. The IBM 2042 models 001, 128
and 256 (resell of the CNT (FC/9000 Directors) are 64-,
128- and 256-port high availability directors. All have fea-
tures that provide interface support to allow the unit to be
managed by System Automation for OS/390. The McDATA
Intrepid 6000 Series Directors and CNT (FC/9000 Direc-
tors) FC/9000-001/-128/-256 support 2 Gbps links as well.
The FICON Express features support attachment to the
IBM M12 Director (2109-M12). The IBM M12 Director sup-
ports attachment of FICON Express channels on the z890
via native FICON (FC CHPID type) and Fibre Channel
Protocol (FCP CHPID type) supporting attachment to SCSI
devices in Linux environments.
Wave Division Multiplexor and Optical Amplifi ers that sup-
port 2 Gbps FICON Express links are: Cisco Systems ONS
15530 and 15540 ESP (LX, SX) and optical amplifi er (LX,
SX), Nortel Networks Optera Metro 5100, 5200 and 5300E
and optical amplifi er, ADVA Fiber Service Platform (FSP)
2000 system, and the IBM 2029 Fiber Saver.
The raw bandwidth and distance capabilities that native
FICON end-to-end connectivity has to offer makes them of
interest for anyone with a need for high performance, large
data transfers or enhanced multi-site solutions.
FICON CTC function
Native FICON channels support CTC on the z990, z900,
z890 and z800. G5 and G6 servers can connect to a
zSeries FICON CTC as well. This FICON CTC connectivity
will increase bandwidth between G5, G6, z990, z900, z890
and z800 systems.
Because the FICON CTC function is included as part
of the native FICON (FC) mode of operation on zSeries,
FICON CTC is not limited to intersystem connectivity (as
Fibre Channel Connectivity