Hp Bladesystem P-Class Network Interconnect Options - HP 279720-B21 - ProLiant BL p-Class F-GbE Interconnect Overview

HP BladeSystem p-Class network interconnect options

Each server blade enclosure must be configured with a pair of network interconnects. These
interconnects slide into the front of the blade enclosure and collect Ethernet and FC (except ProLiant
BL40p Server Blades) signals from all the installed server blades.
Figure 19. HP BladeSystem p-Class Enclosure interconnect locations
Two general categories of interconnect options are available depending on your preferences and
environment:
RJ-45 Patch Panel interconnects collect Ethernet signals from each server blade and provide
an external RJ-45 connector for cabling to each individual server blade NIC. The RJ-45 patch panel
2 option enables individual sever blade FC signals to pass through the interconnect. Benefits of the
RJ-45 Patch Panel options include:
– Connects signals directly to your LAN and SAN
– Offers the lowest blade solution price
– Requires no software or management
– Provides FC signal pass-through (RJ-45 Patch Panel 2 only)
Interconnect Switches consolidate the Ethernet signals from the server blades to a smaller set of
external copper-based or fiber-based uplink ports for connection to your network. Similar to the
RJ-45 Patch Panel 2, select interconnect switch options pass through individual FC signals. Benefits
of the interconnect switch options include:
– Reduces the number of network cables needed for each server blade enclosure
– Reduces the number of ports used on core network switches
– Enables fully manageable and configurable interconnects
– Provides FC signal pass-through (GbE2 Interconnect and Cisco Gigabit Ethernet Switches only)
The HP BladeSystem p-Class interconnect options are shown in Table 12.
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