Gigabit Interface Converters; Fibre Channel Storage Hubs - Compaq StorageWorks 4000 - RAID Array White Paper

Compaq RAID Array 4000 Storage System: Deployment and Configuration

Gigabit Interface Converters

Gigabit interface converters (GBICs) are industry-standard connection devices that hot plug into
Fibre Channel storage hubs and controllers. A GBIC converts serial electrical signals to serial
optical signals for bi-directional transmission of data across the Fibre Channel media.
GBICs are available in two varieties:
Short wave (GBIC-SW)–For connections up to 500 meters. A GBIC-SW provides a
transmission rate of 100 megabytes per second at distances up to 500 meters using
50-micron, multi-mode fiber optic cables. 62.5-micron, multi-mode fiber optic cable is
also supported, but distances are limited to 300 meters.
Long wave (GBIC-LW)–For connections between 500 meters and 10 kilometers. A
GBIC-LW provides a transmission rate of 100 megabytes per second at distances up to
10 kilometers of 9-micron, single-mode fiber optic cable. GBIC-LW are not currently
supported on Microsoft Cluster Server configurations.
Note: GBICs on both ends of any Fibre Channel cable link must be the same type. For example,
GBIC-SW must link to GBIC-SW and GBIC-LW must link to GBIC-LW. Intermixing short
wave types and long wave types on any single link is functionally incompatible.

Fibre Channel Storage Hubs

Fibre Channel Storage Hubs accept different cable types, allowing for intermixed cable pairs
within a topology, and use port bypass circuitry to keep a Fibre Channel loop topology intact. The
RA4000 can be configured using a Fibre Channel Storage Hub 7 or a Fibre Channel Storage
Hub 12.
Fibre Channel Storage Hub 7
The Compaq Fibre Channel Storage Hub 7 is a seven-port hub that creates a
100-megabytes-per-second Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop through its internal wiring and logic.
Note: GBICs on both ends of any Fibre Channel cable link must be the same type. For example,
GBIC-SW must link to GBIC-SW and GBIC-LW must link to GBIC-LW. Intermixing short
wave types and long wave types on any single link is functionally incompatible.
A Fibre Channel Storage Hub 7 is capable of supporting:
Up to six RA4000s per hub
Up to 72 spindles per server slot
Up to 1.75 TB per server slot
Interconnect distances up to 500 meters per link using GBIC-SW
Interconnect distanced up to 10 kilometers per link using GBIC-LW
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