Multiswitch Fabric Support - HP Surestore 64 - Director Switch Planning Manual

Multiswitch Fabric Support

A Fibre Channel topology that consists of one or more interconnected switch (or director)
elements is called a fabric. The director operational software provides the ability to
interconnect directors (through E_Port connections) to form a multiswitch fabric. Fabric
elements cooperate to receive data from the N_Port of an attached device, route the data
through the proper switch ports (F_Ports), and deliver the data to the N_Port of a
destination device. The data transmission path through the fabric is typically determined
by the fabric elements and is transparent to the user. Subject to zoning restrictions, devices
attached to any of the interconnected switches can communicate with each other through
the fabric.
A multiswitch fabric is typically complex, and provides the facilities to maintain routing to
all device N_Ports attached to the fabric, handle flow control, and satisfy the requirements
of the classes of Fibre Channel service that are supported. Figure 19 illustrates a
multiswitch fabric supported by three directors.
Figure 19 Example Multiswitch Fabric
74 Multiswitch Fabric Support