Server provides 256-port fabric switch functionality.
Press Release Summary:
TotalStorage® SAN256B Director offers 4 Gbps Fiber-Channel switch capability as well as 1, 2, and 4 Gbps auto-sensing. It includes minimum of 2 control processors, dual power supplies, and fans in 14U rack height. Base model include Inter Switch Link Trunking, Advanced Zoning, Web Tools, Fabric Watch, Performance Monitor, and Hot Code Activation. TotalStorage® SAN256B offers forward and backward compatibility with other TotalStorage SAN Switch models.
Original Press Release:
IBM TotalStorage SAN256B Introduces 4 Gbps 256-port Fibre Channel Director Designed to Support Improved Port Density and Performance
At a glance
The TotalStorage SAN256B director is designed to offer:
4 Gbps industry-standard Fibre Channel (FC) switch capability for systems that support 4 Gbps throughput
Next generation enterprise director performance, scalability, flexibility, reliability, availability, and compatibility with IBM SAN Switches
Up to 256-port fabric director with single domain to help provide greater scalability, faster Control Processor Blades for low latency Fabric Services, and improved performance
4, 2, and 1 Gbps auto-sensing capability, Full Fabric operation and Universal Port operation on all ports (F_Port, FL_Port, and E_Port)
SAN256B director base model includes Inter Switch Link (ISL) Trunking, Advanced Zoning, Web Tools, Fabric Watch, Performance Monitor and Hot Code Activation
SAN256B director optional features include Remote Switches, Extended Fabrics, Advanced Security and FICON with CUP activation
For ordering, contact:
Your IBM representative, an IBM Business Partner, or IBM Americas Call Centers at 800-IBM-CALL (Reference: YE001).
Overview
To help address your performance needs, the IBM TotalStorage® SAN 256B director:
Is designed to deliver next generation enterprise director performance, scalability, flexibility, reliability, and availability
Is designed to provide a single domain with 256-port Fabric Switch functionality, yielding greater scalability with fewer domains, faster Control Processor Blades for low latency Fabric OS services, as well as improved performance over the IBM TotalStorage SAN Switch M14
Offers forward and backward compatibility with all IBM TotalStorage SAN Switch models, 1, 2 and 4 Gbps auto-sensing capability, as well as Advanced Fabric Services and management tools
Designed for midrange to enterprise level SAN applications, the SAN256B director includes a minimum of two control processors, dual power supplies, and fans in a 14U rack height. The SAN256B director base model includes the following functions:
Full Fabric operation and Universal Port operation on all ports (F_Port, FL_Port, and E_Port). Requires ordering at least one of the optional blades listed below. IBM recommends deployment of at least two blades per director to enable high availability configurations.
Inter Switch Link (ISL) Trunking, Advanced Zoning.
Web tools, Fabric Watch, Performance Monitor.
Fabric OS 5.0, Hot Code Activation.
Several optional features are available for the director, including the following:
M48 32-Port 4 Gbps Switch Blades
M48 16-Port 4 Gbps Switch Blades
4 Gbps short wave transceivers
2 Gbps long wave transceivers
Extended Fabric Activation feature to increase ISL buffer credits to support disaster tolerance solutions with up to 70 km distance between sites
Advanced Security Activation to enable policy-based security mechanisms integrated within Fabric Operating System
FICON(TM) operation with CUP and optional Advanced Security
Optional features for director installation into 2109-C36 Cabinet
Product preview
IBM intends to introduce and support a new version of Fabric Manager to support the SAN256B and other members of the IBM TotalStorage SAN b-type family.
Previews provide insight into IBM plans and direction. Specific availability dates, ordering information, and terms and conditions will be provided when the product is announced.
Key prerequisites
The IBM TotalStorage SAN b-type switch family supports Fibre Channel connectivity for servers and storage.
For a list of supported servers and storage systems, refer to the Description section.
