Installing Transceivers And Attaching Cables; Managing Cables - Brocade Communications Systems DCX Backbone Hardware Installation Manual

Installing transceivers and attaching cables

The 64-bit chassis ID is required to obtain and activate licenses for the Brocade DCX. The chassis ID is available through the
licenseIdShow command. The licenseShow and licenseIdShow commands must be entered on the active CP blade. Refer to the
Brocade Fabric OS Administration Guide for more information.

Installing transceivers and attaching cables

Follow these steps to install SFPs, SFP+s, mSFPs (FC8-64 port card only), or XFPs (FC10-6 port card only) and cables to the Brocade
DCX.
NOTE
mSFP transceivers are compatible only with the FC8-64 port blade. While they will fit in other blades, this configuration is
unsupported and will generate an error.
The ports are color-coded to indicate which can be used in the same port group for trunking (trunking port groups can be up to eight
ports). The ports and cables used in trunking groups must meet specific requirements. Refer to the Brocade Fabric OS Administration
Guide for more information.
1. Position one of the optical transceivers so that the key is oriented correctly to the port. Insert the transceiver into the port until it
is firmly seated and the latching mechanism clicks.
Transceivers are keyed so that they can only be inserted with the correct orientation. If a transceiver does not slide in easily,
ensure that it is correctly oriented.
2. Position a cable so that the key (the ridge on one side of the cable connector) is aligned with the slot in the transceiver. Insert the
cable into the transceiver until the latching mechanism clicks.
Cables are keyed so that they can be inserted in only one way. If a cable does not slide in easily, ensure that it is correctly
oriented.
3. Repeat the above steps for the remaining ports.
4. Organize the cables (see
5. Verify the Brocade DCX-4S and port status using the switchShow command.
6. Verify fabric connectivity using the fabricShow command.

Managing cables

ATTENTION
The minimum bend radius should be no smaller than 10x the cable radius.
Cables can be organized and managed in a variety of ways: for example, using cable channels on the port sides of the cabinet or patch
panels to minimize cable management. With the horizontal orientation of the blades in the DCX-4S, a pair of vertical cable management
finger assemblies have been provided to keep the cables from hanging down in front of other blades.
Following is a list of recommendations:
• Leave at least 1 m (3.28 ft) of slack for each port cable. This provides room to remove and replace the Brocade DCX, allows for
inadvertent movement of the rack, and helps prevent the cables from being bent to less than the minimum bend radius.
• If ISL Trunking is in use, group the cables by trunking group. The ports are color-coded to indicate which ports can be used in
the same ISL Trunking group: eight ports marked with solid black ovals alternate with eight ports marked with oval outlines.
• Generally, Velcro
60

Managing cables

on page 60).
®
type cable restraints are recommended to avoid creating sharp bends in the cables.
Brocade DCX Backbone Hardware Installation Guide
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