2-8 Description 62-9301-01
Consolidation Allows multiple servers to share storage
resources, including tape drives, tape
libraries, disk drives and disk arrays.
Centralization Enables existing storage to be moved to a
central location to simplify management
and maintenance, and to improve security.
Lower TCO Improving storage management,
maintenance and security can lower Total
Cost of Ownership (TCO) for enterprise
storage.
How the FCR200 Works
The FCR200 is a storage router that translates Fibre Channel
Protocol (FCP) to and from two SCSI buses so devices on these
two types of media can communicate with each other. It
attaches to either a Fibre Channel or SCSI host, and transfers
the command, data, and status information to SCSI or Fibre
Channel targets. The host passes packets to SCSI or Fibre
Channel targets as if the FCR200 were just another device
along the path.
The FCR200 provides connections for two SCSI buses and a
Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop or Switched Fabric. It takes
advantage of Fibre Channel’s ability to encapsulate SCSI
protocol packets to allow a host with a FC or SCSI adapter to
access SCSI or FC peripheral devices transparently over a FC
connection.
Figure 2-6 on page 2-9 shows a Fibre Channel-to-SCSI
configuration. Through the FCR200 router, any host on the
Fibre Channel loop can access the tape drive and library on
each SCSI bus.