What is fabric in SAN switch?

What is fabric in SAN switch?

A San fabric is the hardware that connects servers and workstations to storage devices in a SAN. A San is configured into a number of zones. These zones include host zones, system zones, and disk zones. This includes a number of Fiber Channel based Switches and Routers sometimes referred to as Domains.

What is F-port in SAN switch?

The fabric port (F_port) is a fabric switch port used to connect an N_port to a switch in a fiber channel topology. It uses a fiber channel point-to-point (FC-P2P) topology – a structure connecting two fiber channel devices.

What are the switched fabric ports?

Fabric ports, which are on a switch and provide connections between a node and the network. E_Ports. Expansion ports, which are on a switch and connect to other switches, sometimes by means of inter-switch links (ISLs).

What is N port and F-port?

N-port network port or node port Node port used to connect a node to a Fibre Channel switch. F-port fabric port Switch port used to connect the Fibre Channel fabric to a node.

Why do we need SAN switches?

A storage area network (SAN) switch is a device that connects servers and shared pools of storage devices and is dedicated to moving storage traffic.

What is a Fibre port called?

A Fibre Channel (FC) port is a hardware pathway into and out of a node that performs data communications over an FC link. (An FC link is sometimes called an FC channel.) Port.

What are the types of FC ports?

FC Port Types

• N_Port—An N_Port is a port on the node of an FC device such as a server or a storage device and is also known as a node port.
• F_Port—An F_Port is a port on an FC switch that connects to an FC device N_Port in a point-to-point connection. F_Ports are also known as fabric ports.

What is the F port in San switch?

F_Port: This is a fabric port that is not loop capable. It is used to connect an N_Port point-to-point to a switch. FL_Port: This is a fabric port that is loop capable. It is used to connect NL_Ports to the switch in a public loop configuration (in switched fabric env.).

What is a port in a fabric switch?

A port is defined as an U_Port when it is not connected or has not yet assumed a specific function in the fabric. N_Port: This is a node port that is not loop capable. It is used to connect an equipment port to the fabric. NL_Port: This is a node port that is loop capable.

What does F port mean in FC fabric?

The F_port is typically a channel to the FC fabric for frames transmitted and received by an N_port. A frame is a data unit transmitted or received between network points. A fiber channel frame can usually contain up to 2112 bytes per unit.

What are the physical parts of a SAN switch?

SAN Switch will contain below physical parts 1 One / Two Hot Swap-able Power supply units 2 SFP (Small Form Factor pluggable) Ports 3 Out Band Management Port (RJ45) 4 Console Port 5 USB ports 6 FC ports (count is depend up on the model) More