Preliminary
Major Fibre Channel Port Features
SANbox-16HA Fibre Channel Switch
1-6 General Description 59005-03 Rev. A Installer’s/User’s Manual
Translated Loop Port (TL_Port) Overview
You may use Switch management to configure any or all ports on the SANbox-16
chassis as Translated Loop ports (TL_Ports). TL_Ports connect to devices which
conform to the Fibre Channel-Private Loop SCSI Direct Attach (FC-PLDA)
standard. Each TL_Port allows connectivity between the Private Loop devices on
the loop and “off-loop” devices (devices not connected to that particular TL_Port)
such as Public devices connected to F and FL_Ports and private devices on other
TL_Port loops. This connectivity is achieved by having a translation function at
each TL_Port which translates Private frames to Public frames and vice versa.
Figure 1-3 shows possible Fabric topologies with both public and Private SCSI
devices. In this figure, the TL_Ports are ports with Translation Mode functions.
The following three scenarios are supported by TL_Ports:
• Server 1 to ST1 (Public Initiator to/from Private Target)
• Server 2 to ST2 (Private Initiator to/from Public Target)
• Server 3 to ST3 (Private Initiator through fabric to/from Private Target on
different loop)
Figure 1-3 SCSI Example
ST1
ST2
ST3
Private Loop 1
JBOD
Private Loop 2
Private Loop
Server 1
Server 3Server 2
Fabric
FL_Port
F_Port
Hub
TL_Port
Hub
TL_Port