Model Numbering; Model Naming; Switch Models - HP StorageWorks 4000/6000/8000 - Enterprise Virtual Arrays Reference Manual

DC SAN Backbone Director and DC04 SAN Director support the 16, 32, and 48-port 8 Gb/s
Fibre Channel blades, 10 Gb/s 10/6 FC ISL Blade, MP Router Blade, encryption blade, and the
DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade.
SAN Director 4/256 supports the 16, 32, and 48-port 4 Gb/s Fibre Channel blades, 16, 32,
and 48-port 8 Gb/s Fibre Channel blades, 10 Gb/s 10/6 FC ISL Blade, the MP Router Blade,
and iSCSI Director Blade.
The B-series switches offer:
High availability
Scalability
Cost efficiency

Model numbering

The B-series Fibre Channel switches typically use the numbering scheme x/y:
x—The highest speed at which the switch ports can operate, measured in Gb/s
y—The number of switch ports
For example, the HP StorageWorks SAN Switch 4/16 is a 4 Gb/s switch with 16 ports.
The 8 Gb/s, 4 Gb/s, and 2 Gb/s switch ports autonegotiate the signaling speed. For example, when
you connect a 4 Gb/s or 2 Gb/s port directly to a 1 Gb/s port, both ports run at 1 Gb/s in each
direction. If the ports are not directly connected, the fabric switch that connects the ports determines
the signaling speed.

Model naming

The B-series Fibre Channel switches are typically called HP StorageWorks SAN, SAN Backbone,
Core, or Director switches. SAN Backbone, Core, and Director switches are core (enterprise-class)
switches. SAN switches are edge (entry-level or mid-range) switches. The suffix -EL, V, or N identifies
entry-level switches.
The B-series embedded switches for HP c-Class BladeSystem servers are called the Brocade 8Gb SAN
Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class and the Brocade 4Gb SAN Switch for HP c-Class BladeSystem.
The embedded switch for HP p-Class BladeSystem servers is called the Brocade 4Gb SAN Switch for
HP p-Class BladeSystem. The B-series Fibre Channel routers are called the HP StorageWorks 400
Multi-protocol Router (400 MP Router), Multi-protocol Router Blade (MP Router Blade), and Multi-protocol
Router (MP Router). The 8 Gb SAN extension products are called the HP StorageWorks 1606 Extension
SAN Switch and HP StorageWorks DC SAN Director Multi-protocol Extension Blade.

Switch models

Table 18 and
Gb/s and 4 Gb/s B-series Fibre Channel switches).
HP and Compaq legacy Fibre Channel switches and routers.
HP supports all B-series Fibre Channel switches in a fabric if you:
Use the firmware versions listed. All like switch models must use the same version when configured
in a single-fabric or multi-fabric SAN (see
firmware, you can use two successive switch firmware versions temporarily in a single-fabric and
multi-fabric SAN.
Follow the fabric rules. (See
94 B-series switches and fabric rules
Table 19 describe the B-series Fibre Channel switches and routers supported by HP (8
"Fibre Channel switch fabric
Table 20, Table 21, and
Table 18 through Table 22). When updating switch
rules" on page 106.)
Table 22 describe the