Introduction
Three Multi-Chassis Topologies
There are three basic multi-chassis topologies for SANbox Switches: Cascade, Mesh, and Multistage™.
NOTE:
Use your SANbox Switch chassis in any of these topologies, but do not mix the topologies in the same fabric. That is, use your chassis in a Cascade, or Mesh, or Multistage but do not use a combination of topologies in the same fabric.
The term “cascade” indicates that chassis are connected in a row “one-to-the- next”. You may optionally have chassis interconnections from the last chassis back to the first chassis. Any port on a SANbox chassis that is placed in a cascade topology can be either a user port (a port connected to users) or a T_Port (connected to other Switch chassis). Connect any SANbox port to another Switch and the port configures itself as a T_Port. All chassis in a cascade topology have a Stage Type of Input-Output/Transfer (IO/T) or SL Private Loop.
The default is IO/T.
The term “mesh” indicates that each chassis has at least one T_Port directly connected to each other chassis (each chassis connected to each other chassis). Any port on a SANbox chassis that is placed in mesh topology can be either a user port (connected to users) or a T_Port (connected to other Switch chassis). Connect any SANbox port to another Switch and the port configures itself as a T_Port. All chassis in a mesh topology have a Stage Type of Input-Output/Transfer (IO/T). The default is IO/T.
A Multistage Switch consists of chassis configured in two different stage types, an Input-Output/Transfer (IO/T) stage type, and a Cross-Connect (CC) stage type. Two or more chassis with the IO/T stage type supply user ports to connect to the users, and T_Ports that connect to one or more chassis with the CC stage type. The chassis with the CC stage type supply interconnections for the T_Ports. Any SANbox chassis can function as an IO/T stage type or as a CC stage type. Switch management allows you to designate the stage type of any chassis as IO/T or CC. The default stage type for any chassis is IO/T. Connect any port on a chassis with an IO/T stage type to another chassis and the port configures itself as a T_Port. All ports on a CC stage type are T_Ports
5-2Multi-Chassis Fabrics | | SANbox-16HA Fibre Channel Switch |
59005-03 Rev. A | Installer’s/User’s Manual |
