| Q1. |
What initial port configurations are available? |
| A1. |
The HP StorageWorks 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch is now available in both 8-port and 16-port initial stand-alone configurations. The 8Gb Simple SAN Connection Kit bundle ships with eight ports active. All models may be expanded quickly and non-disruptively to a maximum of 20 ports via optional four-port license keys. |
|
| Q2. |
How do I activate more ports on my HP StorageWorks
8/20q Fibre Channel Switch? |
| A2. |
Licenses for additional ports may be purchased in 4-port increments and easily applied using either the on-board QuickTools GUI or the Command Line Interface. The switch does not need to be reset to apply the licenses, and existing traffic on other ports will not be disrupted. |
|
| Q3. |
Will I need to manually adjust the 8Gb ports to work
with my slower-speed devices? |
| A3. |
No. The 8 Gbps ports on the 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch auto-sense and auto-configure to match the speed of supported HBAs, switches or storage, allowing you to transition to 8Gb at whatever pace matches the budget or strategic direction of your company. |
|
| Q4. |
What are SFP+ optical transceivers? |
| A4. |
All Fibre Channel switches require Small Form Factor Pluggable (SFP) optical transceivers in each active switch port to allow data transmission. Once the hot-swappable transceiver has been inserted, simply plug in a fiber optic cable to complete the connection. You do not need to place transceivers in ports which are not being used.
The 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch does not ship with SFP's included; simply order the number you require for your installation. However, the 8Gb Simple SAN Connection Kit includes all the 8 Gbps SFP+ optics required to deploy up to a 4-host SAN infrastructure with a dual-controller storage target.
SFP+ optics allow ports to run at 8 Gbps, 4 Gbps or 2 Gbps speeds. Additional optics may be purchased separately.
|
|
| Q5. |
Does the HP StorageWorks 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch use the same fiber optic cable as previous generation products? |
| A5. |
Yes. 8 Gbps Fibre Channel runs on the same multi-mode fiber optic cable as previous 4 Gbps or 2 Gbps Fibre Channel SANs. There’s no need to modify your cabling infrastructure. However, you do need to understand that maximum supported cable lengths are reduced at 8 Gbps speeds. For further details, please refer to the SAN Design Guide: www.hp.com/go/sandesignguide |
|
| Q6. |
Is there any limit to the size of the SAN I can create with the HP StorageWorks 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch? |
| A6. |
Please refer to the SAN Design Guide: www.hp.com/go/sandesignguide for detailed information regarding supported configurations and sizing. |
|
| Q7. |
Are there any restrictions to the HBAs and storage I
can use with the 8Gb Simple SAN Connection portfolio? |
| A7. |
Today, HP supports our portfolio of 2 Gbps, 4 Gbps and 8 Gbps HBAs from both QLogic and Emulex with both the HP StorageWorks Modular Storage Array (MSA) and HP StorageWorks Enterprise Virtual Array (EVA) storage (excluding the EVA3000/5000) in active/active configurations connected to the Simple SAN Connection portfolio. This list will continue to be enhanced. However, the included Simple SAN Connection Manager software provides extra value when the switch is deployed with HP 81Q and 82Q PCI-e HBAs and HP EVA/MSA storage. Deployment with these devices will be much faster – and on-going management and monitoring of these devices may be accomplished from a single unified interface. |
|
| Q8. |
What operating systems are supported by Simple SAN
Connection Manager? |
| A8. |
The Simple SAN Connection Manager application may be installed on a Microsoft Windows 2003 Server SP2 R2 or Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2003. Please refer to the HP StorageWorks 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch product QuickSpecs for more detailed support requirements. |
|
| Q9. |
Can I configure and provision storage for my new HP StorageWorks MSA2000fc array using the Simple SAN Connection Manager (SSCM)? |
| A9. |
Yes, you can. With SSCM v2.0 (available through a web download from the HP StorageWorks 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch Support page (http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Home.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=3662821&lang=en&cc=us) , you will have all you need to begin configuring and managing your new MSA2000fc disk array immediately using the same user interface you now use for your MSA1000/1500 and EVA disk arrays. |
| Q10. |
Will this switch interoperate with HP StorageWorks B-series fabrics? |
| A10. |
Yes, using the new Transparent Routing (TR) technology supported with firmware v 8.0.2.02.00 and available now as a web download, the 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch will seamlessly and easily interoperate with HP StorageWorks B-series fabrics, eliminating the support and management challenges of switch interoperability and merged SAN fabrics of the past. The security and containment of Transparent Routing allows extension of the SAN without impacting existing infrastructure. The TR feature of the HP 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch is ideal for existing B-series customers deploying a new remote office SAN, a new SAN for departmental build-out, or a new backup SAN with a need to minimize or simplify management of the new SAN. |
