Q-Logic QLA2342 Small Form-Factor Pluggable SFP Transceivers, Port Types, 6. SFP Transceiver

2 – General Description	0
Fibre Channel Ports

2.2.2

Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP) Transceivers

An SFP transceiver, like the one shown in Figure 2-6, converts electrical signals to and from optical laser signals to transmit and receive. SFP transceivers plug into the ports; duplex fiber optic cables plug into the transceivers which then connect to the devices. A port is capable of transmitting at 1-Gbps or 2-Gbps; however, the transceiver must be capable of 2-Gbps for the port to deliver at that rate.

The SFP transceivers are hot pluggable. This means that you can remove or install an SFP transceiver while the switch is operating without harming the switch or the transceiver. However, communication with the connected device will be interrupted. Refer to ”SFP Transceivers” on page 6-2for information about installing and removing SFP optical transceivers.

Figure 2-6. SFP Transceiver

2.2.3

Port Types

SANbox2-16 switches support generic ports (G_Port, GL_Port), fabric ports

(F_Port, FL_Port), and expansion ports (E_Port). Switches come from the factory with all ports configured as GL_Ports. Generic, fabric, and expansion ports function as follows:

„A GL_Port self-configures as an FL_Port when connected to a public loop device, as an F_Port when connected to a single public device, or as an E_Port when connected to another FC-SW-2 compliant switch.

„A G_Port self-configures as an F_Port when connected to a single public device, or as an E_Port when connected to another FC-SW-2 compliant switch.

„An FL_Port supports a loop of up to 126 public devices. An FL_Port can also configure itself during the fabric login process as an F_Port when connected to a single public device (N_Port).

„An F_Port supports a single public device. If the device is a single device on a loop, the GL_Port will attempt to configure first as an F_Port, then if that fails, as an FL_Port.

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