Some Basic Information of fabric switches

Some Basic Information of fabric switches …

Types of Fabric architecture

1.       Cascade

2.       Mesh

Partial Mesh

Full Mesh

3.       Ring

4.       Core-edge

Port type

N node port, connect to N or F port using point to point link

F fabric port, point to point attachment to an N port

E expansion port, connect to another FC switch using an ISL(inter switch link)

FL Fabric Loop port, connect to NL port or port through a FC-AL

G Generic port, Function as any port

L loop port, capable of arbitrated loop functions.

Where these port are.

The ports on Host or storage Filer that connects to the fabric is called N port.

The port on switch that connects to the host or storage filer is called the F port.

The E port connects one switch to another switch.

The G port are unused but when they are used and when they are plugin they automatically get adjusted them to F port or E port.

Names Space

Name server is type of server which manages all the port information and it helps to communicate between the wwn of port to wwn of node and keeps the address of each port and from which device that port is.

Zoning

Two types of Zoning

 Port based zoning

Node name base zoning

Most preferred type of zoning is WWPN (worldwide port name based zoning) because it is more flexible.