IBM Flex System FC3171 Product Manual

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IBM Flex System FC3171 8Gb SAN Switch and
Pass-thru
IBM Redbooks Product Guide
The IBM Flex System™ FC3171 8Gb SAN Switch is a full-fabric Fibre Channel component with expanded
functionality. The SAN switch supports high speed traffic processing for IBM Flex System configurations,
and offers scalability in external SAN size and complexity, and enhanced systems management
capabilities. The IBM Flex System FC3171 8Gb Pass-thru supports a fully interoperable solution for
seamless integration of the Fibre Channel initiators to an existing fabric. The pass-thru module uses
industry-standard N_Port ID virtualization (NPIV) technology to provide a cost-effective connectivity
solution for the IBM Flex System chassis.
Figure 1 shows the switch module.
Figure 1. IBM Flex System FC3171 8Gb SAN Switch
Did you know?
These switch modules are licensed to operate in either full-fabric mode or intelligent pass-thru
mode.These modules allow IBM Flex System integration with any open-standards-based SAN, whether
the module has enterprise open-system fabric functionality using the full-fabric mode, or the module has
transparent switching functionality using the intelligent pass-thru mode.
IBM Flex System, a new category of computing and the next generation of Smarter Computing, offers
intelligent workload deployment and management for maximum business agility. This chassis delivers
high-speed performance complete with integrated servers, storage, and networking for multi-chassis
management in datacenter compute environments. Furthermore, its flexible design can meet the needs of
varying workloads with independently scalable IT resource pools for higher utilization and lower cost per
workload. While increased security and resiliency protect vital information and promote maximum uptime,
the integrated, easy-to-use management system reduces setup time and complexity, providing a quicker
path to ROI.
IBM Flex System FC3171 8Gb SAN Switch and Pass-thru 1