FibreChannel Maria Luna

7/30/2019 FibreChannel Maria Luna

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Fibre Channel

Maria G. Luna


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Objectives

Define what is Fibre Channel

Standards

Fibre Channel Architecture

Simple example of a Network Connection

Fiber Channel Layers

Summary FC Layers (Picture)

Fibre Channel Topologies

Technology Comparison

Conclusion

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What is Fibre Channel?

A high-speed transmission technology used as a

peripheral channel or network backbone.

It is a 100MB/sec, full-duplex, serial, data

communication technology.

It supports several common transport protocols

like Internet Protocol (IP) and SCSI.

It operates over copper and fiber optic cables atdistances of up to 10 Kilometers.

It is supported by many suppliers like Compaq,

Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Seagate, and SunMicrosystems.

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Standards for Fibre Channel

The T11 Committee of NCIT, a U.S. standards-

development organization under the ANSI

(American National Standards Institute) meets 6times a year to develop Fibre Channel

standards.

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Current standards:

Some examples of current standards.

Performance from 266 megabits/second to over

4 gigabits/second. Support for distances of up to 10Km.

High-bandwidth utilization with distance

insensitivity.

Support for multiple cost/performance levels,

from small systems to super computers.

Ability to carry multiple existing interface

command sets, including Internet Protocol (IP),SCSI, IPI, and audio and video.

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Fibre Channel Architecture Fibre Channel transfers digital data

between sources and users of

information.

This digital data represents different

types of information like programs, files,

graphics, videos and sound.

Each having its own structure, protocol,

connectivity, measures of performance

and reliability requirements.

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Network Connection Example

Printer Server Storage

Device

Computer/

Workstation

Computer/

WorkstationFabric Ports

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Node PortsNode Ports

Node PortsNode Ports


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Network connection (continued):

Network Connections are established between

the node ports (N_Ports), that are in computers,

servers, storage devices, and printers, and the

fabric ports (F_Ports), that are on the peripheryof the Fibre Channel Fabric.

The Fibre Channel Architecture specifies in

detail the link Characteristics and protocol used

between the node ports and the fabric ports.

The Fibre Channel can interconnect more than

16 million node ports in a single address.

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Fibre Channel Layers

Five layers FC-1, FC-2, FC-3, and FC-4.

Define the physical media, transmission rates,

encoding scheme, framing protocol, flow control,

common services, and the upper level interfaces.

FC-0, FC-1, and FC-2 - define how Fibre

Channel ports interact with other ports.

They are refereed to as the Fibre ChannelPhysical levels (PC-PH Levels).

FC-3, and FC-4 - define how Fibre Channel ports

interact with applications in host systems.

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FC-0 : Media and Interfaces Covers the physical characteristics of the

interface and media, including cables,

connectors, drivers, transmitters, and receivers.

Examples of media :

twisted pair

coaxial

multi mode/single mode fiber

fiber light sources

long wave lasers

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FC-1, and FC-2:

FC-1: Transmission Protocol Defines how FC-0 signals are patterned to carry data

and how port-to-port links are initialized.

FC-2: Framing and Signaling Protocol

Defines the rules for signaling and the transfer of data.

Defines various classes of services, some examples:

Class 1: Is a full-duplex dedicated link between 2

ports. (Highest quality of service because it is the

most effective in transferring large amounts of data

at very high speed.

Class 2: Multiplexed connection , where 1 port can

carry different exchanges with many other ports.

Class 3: Multicast and broadcast where theres noconfirmation of receipt.

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FC-3 and FC-4:

FC-3: Common Services

Defines commons services provided by two or

more node ports in a host system. (Ex. Two or

more node ports, sharing a common port address,which increases the bandwidth available from node

port to fabric ports).

FC-4: Protocol Mappings

Formed by series of profiles defining how to map

legacy protocols to Fibre Channel.

Profiles for protocols like IP, SCSI, for disk drives,

and several others are already defined here.

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Source: www.fibrechannel.com/layers/

FC-3

FC-4

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The previous picture illustrates the relationship

between the media type and the operating range for

each Fibre Channel, which is defined by the FC-0

layer. For example we see that a Multimode Fiber medium has

a transfer rate of 133Mbps-266Mbps.

And Singlemode Fiber medium has a range of

531Mbps-1.06Gbps. Whereas a copper medium has a transfer rate

2.12Gbps-4.25Gbps.

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Fibre Channel Layers (continued)

We also observe the relationship between FC-0

and FC-1, where FC-1 defines how the signals

are carried by the FC-0 layer.

We also observe that the FC-2 layer defines the

framing protocol, and flow control.

We also observe that FC-3 defines the common

services.

And that FC-4 is the layer defining the protocols like

IP.

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Fabric Topologies

There are three topologies for Fibre ChannelFabrics:

Point-to-point

Where two node ports have the same signaling

rate and class of service.

Switched

Where 16 million node ports can be

interconnected.

Loop (Ring)

Organizes up to 127 Fibre Channel ports on a ring,

and distributes the routing functions among them.

It is used more than the switched topology. It also costs less than switched topology.

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Fibre Channel Gigabit Ethernet ATM

Technology

applicatios

Storage, network,

video, clustersNetwork

Network

video

TopologiesPoint-to-point loop

hub, swithced

Point-to-point hub,

switchedswitched

Scability tohigher data rates

2.12 Gbps,4.24Gbps

Not defined 1.24Gbps

Guaranteed

DeliveryYes No No

Congestion data

lossNone Yes Yes

Frame size Variable, 0-2KB Variable, 0-1.5KB Fixed, 53B

Flow Control Credit Based Rate Based Rate Based

Physical media Copper and Fiber Copper and FiberCopper and

Fiber

Protocols

Supported

Network, SCSI,

Video

NetworkNetwork

videoTable 3.3 Technology comparison

Source: www.fibrechannel.comMaria G. Luna


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Clearly from this table we can observe that

Fibre Channel is the best technology:

Because it provides a higher data rate than ATM.

Because it can be employed in more topologies,

when compared to the Ethernet, and ATM.

It is more reliable since the delivery of data is

guaranteed and theres no loss of data.

It has a bigger frame size of up to 2KB whencomparing it to Ethernets 1.5KB, and ATMs

53B

And also because it supports Network, SCSI,

and video protocols, whereas Ethernet onlysupports Network, and ATM only supports

Network and Video Protocols. Maria G. Luna


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Conclusion

Once again Fibre Channel is a high speed peripheraltransmission technology used in networks.

With a transmission rate of 100MB/sec and with a

full-duplex flow of transmission.

It is defined by five layers which are FC-0, FC-1, FC-2, FC-3, and FC-4, and they define the media,

transmission rates, coding/encoding, framing, flow,

and protocols supported.

And when compared to the Ethernet and ATM

technologies it is the best.

Experts agree that Fibre Channel is the first

technology with the potential to move the data

communications industry into a low-cost-of-

ownership, commodity phase.Maria G. Luna


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References

ComputerSelect Lee, Edwin. An Introduction to Fibre

Channel. Unix Reviews

Performance Computing (March, 1999).

Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Fibre Channel (1999).

Newton's Telecom Dictionary.

Fibre Channel Association (1999).

Black, George. Fibre Alliance to set new

standards. ComputerWeekly (February 11,

1999). www.fibrechannel.com/layers/.

www.fibrechannel.com/standards/.

www.fibrechannel.com/tech_comparison/. Maria G. Luna

FibreChannel Maria Luna

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