Appendix A Glossary

Some terms used in the Fibre Channel industry are defined below. More information is available through the ATTO Technology website (www.attotech.com), the Fibre Channel Industry Association (www.fibrechannel.com), Cern (www.cern.ch), the Storage Area Networking Industry Association (www.snia.org), and the Fibre Channel Consortium (www.iol.unh.edu/consortiums, click on FC).

Term

Definition

ANSI

American National Standards Institute

arbitrate

process of selecting one L_Port from a collection of ports which ask for use of the arbitrated loop

 

at the same time

arbitrated loop

a loop topology (FC-AL) in which two or more ports are interconnected, but only two ports can

 

communicate at one time; low-cost solution which may or may not use hubs and switches

auto negotiation

hardware senses and automatically responds depending on configuration

BER

Bit Error Rate: a measure of transmission accuracy; the ratio of bits received in error to bits sent

bit

smallest unit of data a computer can process: a single binary digit with a value of either 0 or 1

bus

a collection of unbroken signal lines used to transmit information from one part of a computer

 

system to another; taps on the lines connect devices to the bus

byte

an ordered set of 8 bits

channel

a point-to-point link which transports data from one point to another

CPU

Central Processing Unit: the portion of the computer that actually performs computations

CRC

Cyclic Redundancy Check: an error-correcting code which calculates a numeric value for received

 

and transmitted data; if no error has occurred during transmission, the CRC for both received and

 

transmitted data should be the same

destination

a value in the frame header of each frame which identifies the port in the node where the frame is

address

being sent

device driver

a program that allows a microprocessor to direct the operation of a peripheral device

DMA

Direct Memory Access: a way to move data from a storage device directly to RAM without using

 

the CPU’s resources

DMA bus master

allows a peripheral to control the flow of data to and from system memory by block as opposed to

 

allowing the processor to control the data by bytes (PIO or programmed I/O)

fabric

a Fibre Channel switch of two or more Fibre Channel switches interconnected to physically transmit

 

data between any two N_Ports on the switch or switches

FC

Fibre Channel

F_port

a port in the Fibre Channel fabric where a N_port may attach

FL_port

a port in the Fibre Channel fabric where a NL_port may attach in an arbitrated loop

frame

an indivisible unit for transfer of information in Fibre Channel

frame header

the first field in the frame containing the address and other control information about the frame

full-duplex

a communication protocol which allows transmission in both directions at the same time

half duplex

a communication protocol which allows transmission in both directions, but only one direction at a

 

time

host

a processor, usually a CPU and memory, which communicates with devices over an interface

initiator device

a component which originates a command

L_port

a port in an arbitrated loop, either a NL_port or a FL_port

LED

Light-emitting diode: a type of diode that emits light when current passes through it; visible LEDs

 

are used as indicator lights on all sorts of electronic devices

LUN

Logical Unit Number: an identifier for a logical unit (0-7)

multi-mode fiber

an optical fiber which can carry several beams of light at once

i

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ATTO Technology FC-84EN, FC-82EN, FC-81EN operation manual Appendix a Glossary, Term Definition
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FC-81EN, FC-82EN, FC-84EN specifications

ATTO Technology's FC-82EN is a 16Gb Fibre Channel HBA (Host Bus Adapter) that provides high-performance connectivity for storage area networks. Designed for use with both Windows and Linux operating systems, the FC-82EN is ideal for enterprises seeking to optimize data transfer rates and reduce latency for mission-critical applications.

One of the key features of the FC-82EN is its support for 16Gb Fibre Channel, which doubles the bandwidth from previous generations, allowing for faster data transfers. This is particularly beneficial in environments with heavy I/O workloads, such as virtualized data centers and large databases. With its backward compatibility, users can seamlessly integrate the FC-82EN into existing Fibre Channel networks that operate at 4Gb and 8Gb speeds, ensuring flexibility and protecting existing investments.

The FC-82EN employs advanced technologies to enhance performance and reliability. It incorporates ATTO's proprietary Advanced Data Streaming (ADS) technology, which optimizes data flow between the host system and storage devices. By minimizing processing overhead and maximizing throughput, ADS ensures that data-intensive applications run smoothly. Additionally, the HBA features a built-in intelligent caching mechanism to help manage data transfer and reduce bottlenecks.

Another significant characteristic of the FC-82EN is its support for multipathing, which enhances availability and load balancing across multiple paths in a storage network. This feature is crucial in distributed systems where uptime is critical, as it helps to prevent single points of failure and effectively utilizes available resources.

For manageability and ease of use, the FC-82EN includes ATTO's configurable driver and management software, providing users with a comprehensive suite of tools for monitoring performance, configuring settings, and troubleshooting issues. The adapter also supports end-to-end error detection and recovery protocols, ensuring data integrity throughout the transfer process.

In summary, the ATTO Technology FC-82EN is a robust and versatile Fibre Channel HBA that meets the demanding requirements of modern data environments. With its high-speed capabilities, advanced technologies, and strong management features, the FC-82EN is an excellent choice for organizations looking to enhance their storage network performance and reliability.
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