C H A P T E R 1 |
Network Express Module Overview |
This chapter provides a basic overview of the Sun StorageTek 4 Gb Fibre Channel (FC) Network Express Module (NEM) Host Bus Adapter (HBA). This chapter also describes the various operating systems, host platforms, storage, and infrastructure configurations that support the NEM. This chapter contains the following topics:
The Sun StorageTek 4 Gb FC NEM 20-Port HBA consists of a 20-port NEM bus expansion board that interfaces a FC optical media bus. The NEM provides closed chassis adapter installation, removal, integrated hot-plug, and protection from electrostatic discharge (ESD) handling damage.
The 20-port NEM consists of ten independent HBAs. Each HBA has two FC ports which provide exclusive connections to a single blade. The ports of each HBA cannot be shared with any other blade in the chassis.
The NEM supports 20 independent FC buses operating at 4.25 Gbits/sec. It is also backward compatible with 2.125-Gbit/sec and 1.0625-Gbit/sec devices. Small-Form Factor (SFF) optical transceivers are used to connect to the external FC buses.
Twenty SFP fiber-optic transceivers are included with each NEM. You can order additional NEMs and SFP transceivers from Sun Microsystems using the following part numbers:
See TABLE 1-1 for a list of the NEM’s features.
Point-to-point (N-port), Arbitrated Loop (NL_port) and Switched Fabric (N_port) |
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One 4-MB flash ROM per chip, 40 MB total, field-programmable |
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Enables the HBA worldwide names (WWNs) to be retained when a NEM is replaced. See ID Chip Feature for more information. |
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Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP) multimode optic with LC-style connector |
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1 Gbps: 500 meters using 50/125 m core fiber 300 meters using 62.5/125 m core fiber 2 Gbps: 300 meters using 50/125 m core fiber 150 meters using 62.5/125 m core fiber |
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A blue (Ready to Remove), yellow (Service Action Required) and green (Power, Attention, and Connected) LED on the front panel. Two LEDs per channel (green and yellow) on the front panel used to indicate port status. |
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Attention button to support hot-swap functionality. Locator button to assist in locating the module. (See FIGURE 2-5 for button locations.) |
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The 20-port NEM has an ID chip on it that contains an Electrically Erasable Read Only Memory (EEPROM). This EEPROM stores the worldwide names (WWNs) for each of the ten HBAs and 20 FC ports on the NEM.
When you replace a failed NEM that is running firmware prior to version 2.72a, each of the ten HBAs and 20 FC ports on the NEM is assigned new port and node WWNs. Thus, you must update SAN components, such as FC switches and storage arrays, with the new WWN values.
However, if the failed NEM is running firmware version 2.72a, at minimum, you can retain the existing HBA and FC port WWNs by removing the ID chip from the failed NEM and installing the chip on the replacement NEM. Thus, you do not have to update any SAN components as part of the NEM replacement. In order for the ID chip feature to work, the replacement NEM must be running firmware version 2.72a, at minimum.
For information about determining and updating the firmware version, see the following Emulex documents:
Note - For the Solaris OS, the 2.72a firmware is embedded in the emlxs driver version 2.21g, at minimum. This driver is part of s10u5 and available as Solaris 10 patch 120223-22 or 120222-22 at:
http://sunsolve.sun.com |
If you replace the failed NEM (regardless of firmware version) and do not swap the ID chip, new WWNs are assigned to each of the ten HBAs and 20 FC ports; thus, requiring you to update SAN components with the new WWN values.
For more information about replacing a failed NEM, see Replacing a NEM.
The NEM requires the operating system (OS) levels listed in TABLE 1-2.
Solaris 10 11/06, Solaris 10 06/06, or Solaris 10 01/06 and latest patches[1] 119131, 120222, and 120223 |
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Solaris 10, latest patches 119255, 119131, 120222, and 120223 plus packages[2] SUNWemlxs and SUNWemlxu |
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This section provides information about selected platforms, storage systems, and switches that are compatible with the heterogeneous FC network design of the NEM. This section contains the following topics:
The NEM is supported by the platforms and operating systems (OSs) listed in TABLE 1-3.
You can install the NEM in an available NEM slot of the Sun Blade 8000 Chassis or Sun Blade 8000 P chassis.
For information about updating the ILOM firmware for the chassis monitoring module (CMM) or the service processor (SP) go to http://www.sun.com/servers/blades/8000/downloads.jsp. For firmware upgrade instructions, see Preparing to Upgrade the ILOM Firmware in the Sun Blade 8000 Series Online Information System.
The NEM supports the following storage systems:
The NEM is supported with the following FC switches:
Copyright © 2008, Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.