IBM Tape Solutions for Storage Area Networks and FICON

64 IBM Tape Solutions for Storage Area Networks and FICON

3.9 McDATA ES-1000 Loop Switch

The McDATA ES-1000 Loop Switch (2031-L00) provides an ideal way to consolidate

workgroup servers and storage into a seamless, well-managed workgroup or

mini SAN.

With the ES-1000 switch fabric port, it is possible to create an enterprise storage solution by

centralizing data into a single enterprise SAN based on your highly available Director-based

backbone. In this way, the enterprise storage network is centrally managed from the data

center, dramatically reducing management costs. Data is accessible enterprise-wide, and is

backed up to central tape libraries, improving data protection. Data center experience and

methods now extend from the core to the edge.

3.9.1 Product description

The ES-1000 switch acts as a loop switching hub and a fabric attached switch. The switch

provides connectivity between attached Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) devices and a

Fabric. This loop function connects workgroup devices into a miniature SAN. Figure 3-11

shows a picture of the ES-1000.

Figure 3-11 McDATA ES-1000 Loop Switch

The switch also incorporates a bridging function that provides dynamic connectivity between

FC-AL devices and McDATA Directors participating in a switched fabric. This bridging function

allows low-cost or low-bandwidth workgroup (edge) devices to communicate with fabric

devices (mainframe servers, mass storage devices, or other peripherals), and ultimately be

incorporated into an enterprise SAN environment.

The ES-1000 switch is intended to:

򐂰 Implement stand-alone SANs at the departmental and workgroup level. These SANs

provide scalability to meet nondisruptive growth requirements, and provide future

connectivity to the enterprise SAN.

򐂰 Consolidate departmental and workgroup servers to allow centralization of associated

storage resources and server communication with the enterprise SAN. These servers are

typically low-cost, low-bandwidth devices using the Windows NT or UNIX operating

systems.

򐂰 Consolidate tape storage devices. Consolidation of workgroup storage and connecting

that storage to the enterprise SAN provides better storage resource utilization, increased

data protection, and improved data access.

Connectivity

The switch provides device connectivity through eight hub ports (H_Ports) that attach to

device node loop ports. The H-Ports allow for eight FC-AL ports on the switch. Through the