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1–Hardware and Software Components
Hardware Components
1-2 FC0054607-00 A
Figure 1-1 Adapter Components
Table 1-1. Adapter Component Details
Callout
Number
Description
1 The reduced instruction set computer (RISC) processor, also known as the intelligent stor-
age peripheral (ISP) controller, is the heart of the adapter. The RISC processor is a single
integrated ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) that contains the processing power
required to run the Fibre Channel and FCoE protocols. The RISC processor also interfaces
the host bus (PCI-X or PCI Express) and controls the I/O operations.
2 The static random access memory (SRAM) provides the runtime memory required for the
adapter operations. The SRAM is where the firmware is downloaded when the adapter is
powered up. The RISC processor (see 1) accesses the SRAM to process the firmware
instructions. In addition, the SRAM stores the runtime context of various I/O operations in
progress.
3 The non-volatile memory, also referred to as Flash memory, contains the boot code run by
the RISC processor (see 1) when the adapter is powered up. On QLogic Fibre Channel
Adapter 2400 series and later, the Flash memory contains multiple boot images—the
FCode, x86 BIOS, and EFI—to support multi-boot capability on different platforms.
Processor:
QLogic’s ISP
contains a RISC
processor.
SRAM: Static
Random Access
memory. Where
the firmware is
loaded. In
addition to the
firmware, SRAM
also retains (in
queue) the
various I/O
commands the
Fibre Channel
processor must
process.
1
2
5
4
3
LEDs: Light Emitting Diodes. Display various
active/inactive states of an adapter. QLogic’s
Beaconing feature uses LEDs to identify the
physical location of the adapter.
Transceivers:
Short for
transmitter-
receiver, a
device (copper
or optical) that
transmits and
receives signals.
NVRAM: Non-Volatile Random Access Memory (aka
EEPROM). Where some of the adapter parameter
settings are stored. Because NVRAM is a non-volatile
type of RAM, data is retained even if the power is shut off.
Flash: Non-volatile
form of memory.
Where the boot code
is stored.