IBM DS8880 Series Introduction And Planning Manual page 119

v How can I balance the host adapters across the storage system to help ensure
optimum performance?
v What host adapter configurations help ensure high availability of my data?
v How many and what type of cables do I need to order to support the host
adapters?
In addition, consider the following host adapter guidelines.
v You can include a combination of Fibre Channel host adapters in one I/O
enclosure.
v Feature conversions are available to exchange installed adapters when new
adapters of a different type are purchased.
Maximum and minimum configurations
For storage systems that support both standard drive enclosures and High
Performance Flash Enclosures Gen2, the following table lists the minimum and
maximum host adapter features for the base frame (model 984, 985, 986, 988).
Table 58. Minimum and maximum host adapter features for the base frame
Storage Storage system
system type configuration
6-core or Base frame + 2 expansion
12-core frames
8-core Base frame
16-core or Base frame + 1-4
24-core (model expansion frames
985, 986)
1
Note: For all configurations, the maximum number of host adapters for any one frame
cannot exceed 8 with 8-port 8-Gbps host adapters or 16 with 4-port 8-Gbps or 16-Gbps host
adapters. You can add host adapters only to the base frame (model 984, 985, 986) and the
first expansion frame (model 84E, 85E, 86E).
For all-flash storage systems, the following table lists the minimum and maximum
host adapter features for the base frame (model 984, 985, 986, 988).
Table 59. Minimum and maximum host adapter features for the all-flash base frame
All-flash Storage system
storage system configuration
type
6-core or Base frame
12-core
8-core Base frame
16-core or Base frame + 1 expansion
24-core (model frame
985, 986)
24-core (model Base frame
988)
48-core (model Base frame + 2 expansion
988) frame
Minimum number of
host adapter features
for the base frame
2
2
2
Minimum number of
host adapter features
for the base frame
2
2
2
2
2
Chapter 4. Storage system physical configuration
Maximum number of
host adapter features
for the storage system
1
16
16
32
Maximum number of
host adapter features
for the storage system
1
16
16
32
16
32
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