Fabric Switch suits entry-level SAN applications.
Press Release Summary:
McDATA Sphereon 4300 offers from 4 to 8 to 12 non-blocking ports, providing 1 and 2 Gbps Fibre Channel ports utilizing auto-sensing and auto-negotiating operation with Fabric and Public Loop attached devices. Optional Full-Fabric Activation enables support for Inter-Switch Link and full bandwidth extended distance operation up to 10 Km at 2 Gbps. Features include zoning support, SANpilot Web-based management tool, HotCAT non-disruptive microcode update, and McDATA FlexPort support.
Original Press Release:
IBM Expands McDATA Offerings with Sphereon 4300 Entry Level Fabric Switch
At a glance
The McDATA Sphereon 4300 offers the following capabilities:
Entry-Level Fabric Switch designed to meet the needs of small to medium business SAN applications, first-time SAN deployments, departmental SANs, and application specific deployments.
4 to 8 to 12 non-blocking ports, providing 1 and 2 Gbps Fibre Channel support for Fabric and Public Loop-attached devices.
Optional Full-Fabric Activation enables support for Inter-Switch Link (ISL) and full bandwidth extended distance operation up to 10 Km at 2 Gbps to help disaster tolerance solutions.
Ease of use with zoning support, SANpilot Web-based management tool, HotCAT non-disruptive microcode update, and McDATA FlexPort support.
For ordering, contact:
Your IBM representative, an IBM Business Partner, or IBM Americas Call Centers at 800-IBM-CALL (Reference: YE001).
Overview
The McDATA Sphereon Core to Edge family of products, resold by IBM, introduces the McDATA Sphereon 4300 Fabric Switch (2034-212) designed specifically to meet the needs of entry-level SAN applications, first-time SAN deployments, departmental SANs, and application specific deployments. The McDATA Sphereon 4300 offers from 4 to 8 to 12 non-blocking ports, providing 1 and 2 Gbps Fibre Channel ports utilizing industry standards-based auto-sensing and auto-negotiating operation with Fabric and Public Loop attached devices. The optional Full Fabric Activation feature enables support for Inter-Switch Link (ISL) and full bandwidth extended distance operation up to 10 Km at 2 Gbps (when configured with longwave transceivers), to help disaster tolerance solutions.
The base functions of the McDATA Sphereon 4300 Fabric Switch highlight zoning support and customer set up and deploy features, including easy to use SANpilot Web browser-based management tool, McDATA HotCAT non-disruptive microcode firmware update capability, and McDATA FlexPort support, and supports the ability to perform non-disruptive upgrade to increase port-count, as needed.
The McDATA Sphereon Core to Edge family of products is designed to support high-performance, high-port density SAN-based solutions while protecting your investment by maintaining compatibility with existing McDATA SAN solutions.
Key prerequisites
The McDATA Core to Edge family of products is designed to provide Fibre Channel connectivity support for the following:
Servers:
IBM pSeries® and selected RS/6000® servers
IBM iSeries(TM) and selected AS/400® servers
IBM xSeries® and selected Netfinity® servers
Other Intel(TM)-based servers with Linux, and Microsoft(TM) Windows(TM) 2000 and Windows 2003
Selected Sun and HP servers
Storage systems:
IBM TotalStorage® Enterprise Storage Server(TM)
IBM TotalStorage FAStT Storage Server
IBM TotalStorage Enterprise Tape System 3592
IBM TotalStorage Enterprise Tape System 3590
IBM TotalStorage Enterprise Tape Library 3494
IBM TotalStorage UltraScalable Tape Library 3584
IBM TotalStorage Ultrium Scalable Tape Library 3583
IBM TotalStorage Ultrium Tape Library 3582
Other selected storage systems
Planned availability date
November 21, 2003
Description
McDATA FlexPort technology: McDATA's FlexPort technology allows you to purchase connectivity in 4-port increments on the Sphereon 4300, as needs dictate, with integrated support for Fabric and Public Loop device attachment. The first increment of 4 ports is enabled in the base model (2034-212), with Shortwave Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP) transceivers. The second and third increment of 4 ports may be enabled using feature number 4304, with ports configured as Shortwave SFP transceivers. For additional connectivity for your installed equipment, you can use the following procedure:
Simply order a FlexPort Expansion kit (sold in 4-port increments)
Install the pluggable optics and optional cables
Activate the ports by entering the provided license key in the switch management application
The newly added ports are designed to configure automatically and quickly provide the additional capacity. The switch is capable of remaining online and fully functional throughout the process.
McDATA HotFabric port technology gives you the flexibility to add ports on an as-needed basis, without disruption, in 4-port FlexPort increments.
SANpilot management: Embedded Web-server SANpilot management is provided standard with the Sphereon 4300 Fabric Switch and is designed to enable monitoring and configuration management for small-switched fabric configurations. Functions include Web browser access, fabric and switch configuration management, port activity monitoring and reset, non-disruptive HotCAT firmware updating, event logging, diagnostics, and online help.
Warranty extensions: The McDATA Sphereon 4300 Fabric Switch includes a 13-month, from date of shipment, 8x5 next business day, parts only, warranty provided by McDATA. Several features (#7xxx) are available for extending McDATA's warranty on the McDATA Sphereon 4300 Fabric Switch (2034-212) hardware for up to a maximum warranty period of five years. Once the warranty period has expired, additional maintenance options are available directly from McDATA.
Additional information
For specific configuration support dates and other details on availability, server models, operating system levels, and attachment capabilities, consult the product Web site listed below. Support for some configurations may not be available on the initial general availability date.
http://ibm.com/storage/mcdata
For more information, contact your IBM representative or IBM Business Partner.
For additional information about IBM storage products, visit:
http://www.ibm.com/storage
For more information about the McDATA Core to Edge family of Fibre Channel products, visit:
http://www.mcdata.com/ibm
For more information about IBM Enterprise SANs, visit:
http://www.ibm.com/san
Trademarks
iSeries and Enterprise Storage Server are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States or other countries or both.
The e-business logo, pSeries, RS/6000, AS/400, Netfinity, xSeries, and TotalStorage are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States or other countries or both.
Intel is a trademark of Intel Corporation.
Microsoft and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.
