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EMC Fibre Channel Storage System Model FC4700 Configuration Planning Guide
About Fibre Channel FC4700 Storage Systems and Storage Networks
Switch Zoning
Switch zoning lets an administrator define paths between connected
nodes based on the node’s unique World Wide Name. Each zone
encloses one or more server adapters and one or more SPs. A switch
can have as many zones as it has ports.
The current connection limits are four SP ports to one adapter port
(the SPs fan in to the adapter) and 15 adapters to one SP (the SPs fan
out to the adapters). There are several zone types, including the
single-initiator type, which is the recommended type for
FC4700-series systems.
In the following figure, Server 1 has access to one SP (SP A) in storage
systems 1 and 2; it has no access to any other SP.
Figure1-4 A Switch Zone
If you do not define a zone in a switch, all adap ter ports connected to
the switch can communicate with all SP ports connected to the
switch. However, access to an SP does not necessarily provide access
to the SP’s storage; access to storage is governed by the Storage
Groups you create (defined later).
Fibre Channel switches are available with 16 or 8 ports. They are
compact units that fit in 2 U (3.5 inches) for the 16 port or 1 U (1.75
Zone
Adapter
Server 1
Adapter
Server 2
Adapter
Server 3
Storage system 1
SP
SP
Storage system 2
SP SP Storage system 3
SP SP
Switch fabric
EMC1806
To illustrate switch zoning, this figure shows just one HBA per server
and one switch.Normally, such installations will include two HBAs per
server and two switches.