IBM z13s Technical Manual page 189

Each FICON Express8 feature occupies one I/O slot in the I/O drawer. Each feature has four
ports, each supporting an LC Duplex connector, with one PCHID and one CHPID associated
with each port.
All FICON Express16S, FICON Express8S, and FICON Express8 features use SFP optics
that allow for concurrent repairing or replacement for each SFP. The data flow on the
unaffected channels on the same feature can continue. A problem with one FICON port no
longer requires replacement of a complete feature.
All FICON Express16S, FICON Express8S, and FICON Express8 features also support
cascading, which is the connection of two FICON Directors in succession. This configuration
minimizes the number of cross-site connections and helps reduce implementation costs for
disaster recovery applications, IBM Geographically Dispersed Parallel Sysplex™ (GDPS),
and remote copy.
z13s servers now support 32K devices per FICON channel for all FICON features, which
were 24K in previous generations.
Each FICON Express16S, FICON Express8S, and FICON Express8 channel can be defined
independently for connectivity to servers, switches, directors, disks, tapes, and printers:
CHPID type Fibre Channel (FC): FICON, zHPF, and FCTC. All of these protocols are
supported simultaneously.
CHPID type FCP: Fibre Channel Protocol that supports attachment to SCSI devices
directly or through Fibre Channel switches or directors.
FICON channels (CHPID type FC or FCP) can be shared among LPARs and can be defined
as spanned. All ports on a FICON feature must be of the same type, either LX or short
wavelength (SX). The features are connected to a FICON capable control unit, either
point-to-point or switched point-to-point, through a Fibre Channel switch.
Statement of Direction: The z13 and z13s servers are the last z Systems servers to
support FICON Express8 features for 2 Gbps connectivity.
All statements regarding IBM plans, directions, and intent are subject to change or
withdrawal without notice. Any reliance on these statements of general direction is at the
relying party's sole risk and will not create liability or obligation for IBM.
FICON Express16S
The FICON Express16S feature installs exclusively in the PCIe I/O drawer. Each of the two
independent ports is capable of 4 Gbps, 8 Gbps, or 16 Gbps. The link speed depends on the
capability of the attached switch or device. The link speed is auto-negotiated, point-to-point,
and is transparent to users and applications.
The following types of FICON Express16S optical transceivers are supported
FICON Express16S 10 km LX feature, FC 0418, with two ports per feature, supporting LC
Duplex connectors
FICON Express16S SX feature, FC 0419, with two ports per feature, supporting LC
Duplex connectors
Each port of the FICON Express16S 10 km LX feature uses an optical transceiver, which
supports an unrepeated distance of 10 km (6.2 miles) by using 9 µm single-mode fiber.
Each port of the FICON Express16S SX feature uses an optical transceiver, which supports
to up to 125 m (410feet) of distance depending on the fiber that is used.
Chapter 4. Central processor complex I/O system structure
161