HP P4459A User Manual

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch

Installation & Operation Guide

HP Part Number 5971-0861

Printed in February 2001

Notice

The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice.

Hewlett-Packard makes no warranty of any kind with regard to this material, including, but
not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

Hewlett-Packard shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential
damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material.

Hewlett-Packard assumes no responsibility for the use or reliability of its software on equipment
that is not furnished by Hewlett-Packard.

This document contains proprietary information that is protected by copyright. All rights are
reserved. No part of this document may be photocopied, reproduced, or translated to another
language without the prior written consent of Hewlett-Packard Company.

Hewlett-Packard Company
Network Server Division
Technical Communications MS 45SLE
10955 Tantau Avenue
Cupertino, CA 95014 USA
© Copyright 2001, Hewlett-Packard Company.

Audience Assumptions

This Installation and Configuration Guide is for the person who installs, administers, and trouble­shoots LAN servers. Hewlett-Packard Company assumes you are qualified in the servicing of
computer equipment and trained in recognizing hazards in products with hazardous energy levels.

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Safety Instructions

The following sections describe the symbols used on the fibre loop switch and
within this guide and also provides safety information about the product:

• Symbols Used on Equipment

• Symbols in Text

• Grounding Requirements

Symbols Used on Equipment

The following table describes the symbols that are used on the fibre loop switch.

Any surface of area of the equipment marked with these
symbols indicates the presence of electrical shock hazards.
Enclosed area contains no operator serviceable parts.

Warning: To reduce risk of injury from electrical shock
hazards, do no open this enclosure.

This product is a safety Class I product which has a
protective earthing terminal. There must be an
uninterrupted safety earth ground from the main power
source to the product’s input wiring terminal, power
cord(s), or supplied power cord set(s). Whenever it is
likely that the protection has been impaired, disconnect the
power cord(s) until the ground has been restored.

APPARATEN SKALL ANSLUTAS TILL JORDAT
NÄTTUTAG.

iii

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Symbols in Text

The following symbols are used in the following formats to highlight special
messages throughout this guide:

Note: This format is used to highlight information of importance or

special interest.

Caution: This format is used to highlight information that will help you prevent

equipment failure or loss of data.

Warning: This format is used to highlight material involving possibility of

injury or equipment damage.

iv

Danger: This format is used to alert you that you can incur an electrical shock

by mishandling equipment.

This product is a safety Class I product which has a protective
earthing terminal. There must be an uninterrupted safety earth
ground from the main power source to the product’s input wiring
terminal, power cord(s), or supplied power cord set(s). Whenever
it is likely that the protection has been impaired, disconnect the
power cord(s) until the ground has been restored.

APPARATEN SKALL ANSLUTAS TILL JORDAT
NÄTTUTAG.

Contents

Contents ..........................................................................................................................v

Preface ...........................................................................................................................vii

Related Publications .............................................................................................. vii

Related Web Sites ................................................................................................ viii

Chapter 1: Introducing the HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch ............................1

Fibre Loop Switch Features ....................................................................................1

GBIC Ports .....................................................................................................1

Front Panel LEDs ...........................................................................................2

Switching Operation ................................................................................................4

Fibre Channel Arbitration in the Fibre Loop Switch .......................................5

Fibre Loop Switch Initialization ......................................................................6

Chapter 2: Installing the Fibre Loop Switch ................................................................9

Unpacking the Fibre Loop Switch ............................................................................9

Installing and Removing GBICs in the Fibre Loop Switch .....................................10

Installing a GBIC ..........................................................................................10

Removing a GBIC ........................................................................................11

Rack Mounting the Fibre Loop Switch ...................................................................12

Rack Installation ...........................................................................................12

Powering up a System ..........................................................................................29

Cabling for the Fibre Loop Switch .........................................................................29

Chapter 3: Fibre Loop Switch Troubleshooting .......................................................31

General Maintenance Considerations ...................................................................31

Troubleshooting the Switch ...................................................................................32

Reading the LED Indicators .........................................................................32

Reset Button ..........................................................................................................34

Connections ..........................................................................................................34

Fibre Channel Cables ..................................................................................35

Temperature Control .............................................................................................35

Fans .............................................................................................................35

Filler Panel ...................................................................................................35

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Appendix A: Fibre Loop Switch Functional Specifications ......................................37

Switching ...............................................................................................................37

Physical Specifications ..........................................................................................37

Environmental Specifications ................................................................................37

Electrical Specifications .........................................................................................38

LED Specifications ................................................................................................38

Fibre Channel Communications ............................................................................38

Regulatory Certification .........................................................................................38

Appendix B: Regulatory Information ..........................................................................41

Regulatory Notices ................................................................................................41

Electromagnetic Compliance .......................................................................41

Regulatory Notices - Product Safety ............................................................46

Appendix C: Warranty and Support ............................................................................49

Hardware Accessories Limited Warranty ..............................................................49

Hewlett-Packard Hardware Accessories ......................................................49

Third-Party Hardware Products ...................................................................50

HP Repair and Telephone Support .......................................................................50

U.S. and Canada .........................................................................................50

Other Countries ............................................................................................50

World Wide Web ...................................................................................................51

Glossary .........................................................................................................................53

vi

The fibre loop switch provides an affordable entry-level SAN switch with
multiple connectivity options. This guide provides information about the features
and capabilities of the fibre loop switch, and how to install it.

Related Publications

The following publications provide information regarding Storage Area
Networks (SANs) and the Fibre Channel protocol.

Building Storage Networks, Farley, Marc, Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 2000.
ISBN 0-07-212-050-9.

Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop, Kembel, Robert W., Tucson, Arizona:
Connectivity Solutions, a division of Northwest Learning Associates, Inc., 1996.
To order, call 1-520-881-0877 in the USA.

Preface

Fibre Channel - Gigabit Communications and I/O For Computer Networks,
Benner, Alan F., McGraw-Hill, 1996.

Fibre Channel, Volume 1: the Basics, Jan Dedek and Gary Stephens, ANCOT
Corporation, 115 Constitution Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025, 1997.

The Simple Book, An Introduction to Management of TCP/IP-based Internets,
Marshall T. Rose, Prentice Hall, 1992.

What Is Fibre Channel? Jan Dedek and Gary Stephens, ANCOT Corporation,
115 Constitution Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025, November 1996.

vii

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Related Web Sites

These web sites, among others, provide significant information regarding SANs
and the Fibre Channel protocol.

Table 1: Related Websites

Site URL

ANSI http://www.ansi.org/docs/home.html

Fibre Channel Industry Association http://www.fibrechannel.com/

Storage Network Industry Association http://www.snia.org/

viii

Introducing the HP P4459A

8-Port Fibre Loop Switch

The following sections of this chapter provide an overview of the features and
functions of the fibre loop switch:

• Fibre Loop Switch Features

• Switching Operation

Fibre Loop Switch Features

The fibre loop switch features an integral 12Gb/sec. engine that enables full
duplex, concurrent switching on all ports.

Chapter 1

Additional features of the fibre loop switch are described in the following
sections:

• GBIC Ports

• Front Panel LEDs

GBIC Ports

The fibre loop switch is designed for maximum flexibility. It contains eight
GBIC ports that can be configured to support copper, short-wave multimode
fiber, and long-wave single mode fiber media connections. Because each of these
media options provide different price/performance characteristics, you can mix
and match GBICs to meet the needs of your storage network now, and add or
exchange GBICs in the future as your network changes.

1

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Figure 1: Front View of the Fibre Loop Switch

GBIC Ports

Switch Status LEDs

Power
Connector

Front Panel LEDs

In addition to the port connectors, the front panel of the fibre loop switch
contains LEDs that provide diagnostic information for both switch and port
status, and an IEC power plug connector. Figure 2 shows the locations of the
LEDs and the power plug connector.

2

Introducing the HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch

Figure 2: Fibre Loop Switch front panel

Power Plug
Connector

Switch Status
LEDs

Port Status
LEDs

Table 1 describes the operation of the switch LEDs and Table 2 describes the
operation of the port LEDs on the front panel of the fibre loop switch.

Table 1: Fibre Loop Switch LEDs

Name Color Function

fault Amber Indicates that the switch is running a self-test during start-up, or a failure

occurred.

power Green Indicates that power is on to the switch.

Table 2: Port LEDs

Name Color Function

Link Green Indicates that a good physical link has been established.

Fault Amber Indicates that faulty data is being received on the port.

3

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Switching Operation

The fibre loop switch implements the Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop protocol. It
provides concurrent connections to the storage area network (SAN) without
changing the FC-AL interface, which most SAN end-node devices normally
communicate.

The SAN operation changes dramatically when comparing a switch with a hub
environment. The normal operation, as seen by a single end-node device, does
not change, other than a rapid acceleration of responses in a switch environment.
Figure 3 illustrates how the fibre loop switch alters the response speed without
changing the nature of the responses seen by a participating node.

Figure 3: Switching Using Fibre Channel Protocol

4

The fibre loop switch maintains signal and data integrity by re-timing and
re-amplifying the signal at each port. The data-path routing, however, is
significantly different in the switch than with a hub.

As shown on the top of Figure 3, a Fibre Channel network has a physical loop
structure. All traffic must go through all nodes. Since the physical media is
shared by all nodes, the bandwidth must be partitioned between any nodes that

Introducing the HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch

wish to communicate. The addition of a hub, as shown in the center of the same
figure, merely allows the cables from each node to go to a centralized location,
such as a wiring closet where the hub is located. The media and bandwidth on
that port are shared.

The fibre loop switch has been designed with a non-blocking switch backplane;
there is enough switch matrix bandwidth available to support simultaneous
conversations between many nodes. The fibre loop switch helps reduce the time
arbitration and loop initialization required in an active FC network. The fibre
loop switch also supports an initialization agent called P4459A Name Server.
These features are explained in the following sections:

• Fibre Channel Arbitration in the Fibre Loop Switch

• Fibre Loop Switch Initialization

Fibre Channel Arbitration in the Fibre Loop Switch

Normal Fibre Channel data traffic operation is constrained by loop tenancies. A
loop tenancy is the time required for a complete data transfer. An FC node
wanting to send data starts a loop tenancy by arbitrating for ownership of the
loop. Upon winning arbitration, the device wanting to send data opens a
communication channel to its intended destination. When the destination device
responds that it has available buffer space, the sender sends data until it is
finished. After the data transfer is complete, the sender closes the loop tenancy.

An example: node C wants to send data to node A. The first step is that node C
issues an arbitrate message. In a physical or hub-based Fibre Channel network
topology, the arbitrate message has to circulate through nodes D, A, and B. Any
of those nodes are capable of replacing C’s arbitrate message with its own
higher-priority message, resulting in node C losing arbitration. Thus, any of the
other nodes wanting to communicate interfere even though neither node A or C
are involved with their activity.

In the switch implementation, however, node C always wins arbitration. The only
issue is whether node A is already active with a third node. If it is, node C has to
wait, but the wait is only for as long as node A remains active. Three different
scenarios are explained below:

5

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

• If node A is free, node C’s data is forwarded directly to node A without
interference. That is, the messages do not circulate through each device on
the loop and so latency savings on this transaction are also gained. Note that
all transactions are directed between the two communicating nodes. No
traffic ever circulates the entire network as it would in a loop topology.

• If node A is busy with another loop tenancy, the open message from node C
is held until that loop tenancy is completed. Holding the open message until
node A is free sounds extreme until one considers the latency around a
normal loop operation with a high number of nodes. The time just for one
open message to circulate around a large loop (greater than 60 nodes) and
get back buffer credit is actually greater than the completion of an entire
loop tenancy transferring a single maximum frame across the switch. The
relative time difference is on the order of a magnitude (tens of microseconds
vs. tens of milliseconds).

• If A is busy and B, C, and D all simultaneously want to send data to A, a
first-come, first-serve algorithm is enforced. This enforcement is realized
due to the prioritized queueing of open messages at the destination. If the
queue is greater than a programmable value, the switch responds with a close
message to all subsequent open requests from other nodes.

Fibre Loop Switch Initialization

The initialization behavior of the fibre loop switch is encompassed within an
intelligent agent referred to as P4459A Name Server. P4459A Name Server
virtualizes the entire initialization process and eliminates the lengthy login
procedure found on other switches.

In a hub-based Fibre Channel network, any device generates Loop Initialization
Protocol (LIP) messages to notify the other devices on the loop that initialization
needs to occur. During the LIP process, each port in turn receives the LIP
sequence and retransmits the LIP. This process continues until the LIP sequence
returns to the initiating port. Since port addresses are assigned during the LIP
process, no “real” work is performed on the loop while it is underway. Therefore,
it is wise to have a measure of visibility and control over LIP generation. This is
the advantage of P4459A Name Server. It limits the effects of a LIP on other
devices in the network.

Generally, a new node requires some period of time to become ready to
participate on the network. The switch does nothing until the end node signals

6

Introducing the HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch

that it is ready to participate by sending a LIP. Obviously, this interrupts any
traffic in progress on that switch port, or on another switch port that is involved
in a connection with a device on that switch port. However, it need not disrupt
communications on any other switch port. Upon receiving a LIP, the switch
conducts a series of passive tests on the new node, to verify that it is well­behaved.

7

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

8

Chapter 2

Installing the Fibre Loop Switch

The following sections of this chapter provide detailed instructions for installing
a fibre loop switch:

• Unpacking the Fibre Loop Switch

• Installing and Removing GBICs in the Fibre Loop Switch

• Rack Mounting the Fibre Loop Switch

• Powering up a System

• Cabling for the Fibre Loop Switch

Note: Only trained personnel should install a loop switch. Please read all

instructions fully before performing the installation.

Unpacking the Fibre Loop Switch

The fibre loop switch comes packed in a single, integrated shipping box. Retain
the box to reship the switch if necessary. Included are the following items:

• A fibre loop switch

•This HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

• Two power cords

• Two HSSDC copper GBICs

• An HSSDC cable

• A rack mount kit

If any parts are missing, contact your sales or service representative.

9

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Installing and Removing GBICs in the Fibre Loop Switch

Each port that you plan on using on the fibre loop switch must be configured with
an HP-supported GBIC to provide media connectivity. Depending on the GBIC
installed, connectivity options include copper and short-wave multi-mode fiber.
Because each switch port can be configured with any GBIC, you can configure
your switch for a variety of different media options to support your fibre channel
architecture.

Note: GBICs are hot-pluggable. This means that they can be installed and

removed during operation, while the switch is running.

The following sections describe:

• Installing a GBIC

• Removing a GBIC

Installing a GBIC

The following procedure describes how to install a GBIC into a switch port.

Caution: GBICs are sensitive to static electricity. Static discharge from your

clothing or other fixtures around you can cause damage. To prevent damage to the
GBIC, wear a wrist strap or discharge leash to free yourself of static before
touching it.

1. Holding it by its edges, remove the GBIC you are installing from its

antistatic bag.

2. Orient the GBIC in relation to the port you are installing it in so that

the label side (or arrow) is on top.

If your GBIC doesn’t have a label or an arrow to help you orient it, exam­ine the D connector on it. The wider side of the D-connector should be on
top. Figure 4 shows the orientation for installing a GBIC into a switch port.

10

Figure 4: GBIC Orientation

D-connector

Installing the Fibre Loop Switch

Guide tab

3. Slide the GBIC through the port door and plug it into the 20-pin

connector (not visible) on the host circuit board until it is firmly
seated.

If the GBIC does not install easily into the port, do not force it. Instead, try
removing it and inverting the GBIC’s orientation.

Warning: Do not look directly for the GBIC laser source. Laser beams can be

harmful to your eyes.

4. If you are not going to install cabling immediately, leave the supplied

protective plug in place.

The protective plug is used to shield the laser from view and to protect the
optical components from dust.

5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for all GBICs that you want to install.

Removing a GBIC

The following procedure describes how to remove a GBIC:

1. Remove any cables attached to the GBIC.

Stressing the cable during GBIC removal might break it.

Key

Guide tab

11

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

2. Squeeze the latch levers (on the GBIC) together and pull the GBIC

straight out.

Note: GBIC latching mechanisms vary by manufacturer.

Rack Mounting the Fibre Loop Switch

The following sections provide information and procedures on how to rack
mount the fibre loop switch.

Warning: Reduce your risk of electric shock or damage to equipment by

following these precautions:

• Do not disable the power cord grounding plug. The grounding plug is an
important safety feature.

• Plug the power cord into an easily accessible, grounded electrical outlet.
Because there is no power switch, you can turn power on and off by
plugging in and disconnecting the power cord.

• Disconnect the power from the unit by unplugging the power cord from
either the electrical outlet or from the detachable plug on the unit.

Rack Installation

The fibre loop switch is designed to mount into a standard 19-inch rack up to
36 inches deep. Refer to the instructions included in the rack mount kit before
attempting to mount the fibre loop switch. Only trained personnel should install
the rack mount kit. Please read all instructions before installing the rails and
sleeves.

Caution: The air vents along the side and back panel of the fibre loop switch

must not be blocked when installed. The operating temperature must be kept
between 10 and 40 degrees Celsius (between 50 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit).

12

Rack Installation Basics

Caution: Do the following to prevent the rack enclosure from tipping

over. Failure to take these precautions could result in serious injury and
equipment damage.

• Extend the anti-tip foot, or verify that the anti-tip feature is installed.

• Verify that the leveler feet are lowered.

• Do NOT extend more than one piece of equipment at a time out from
the front of the rack.

Always keep the following safety and environmental issues in mind:

• Maximum Recommended Ambient Temperature: The maximum
recommended ambient temperature of the room is 35°C (95°F).

• Elevated Operating Ambient Temperature: The ambient operating
temperature within a closed or multi-unit rack assembly may exceed the
room’s ambient temperature. Make sure that the temperature within the rack
itself does not exceed 35°C (95°F).

• Air Flow: As you mount equipment in the rack, make sure that you allow
enough air flow for safe operation of the equipment.

Installing the Fibre Loop Switch

• Mechanical Loading: Uneven mechanical loading within the rack can
cause hazardous conditions. Plan the placement of equipment in the rack to
avoid this problem.

• Circuit Overloading: Make sure that the total configuration of equipment
in the rack does not overload the supply circuit. To verify this, check the
nameplate ratings on all equipment. Consider the effect of circuit
overloading on over-current protection and supply wiring.

• Reliable Earthing (Grounding): Maintain reliable earthing (grounding) of
rack-mounted equipment. Give particular attention to supply connections
that are not direct connections to the branch circuit (the use of power strips,
for example).

• Installation Order: Begin installing components at the bottom of the rack.

Rack Installation Overview

The instructions in this guide are specifically for Hewlett-Packard rack enclosure
product numbers J1464A, J1466A, J1487B, J1488A, J1500A, J1501A, and
J1502A. For information about other rack installations, see the rack-mount kit

13

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

instructions that come with your rack or HP NetServer, or refer to the following
web site:

http://www.hp.com/racksolutions

Note: The installation instructions that follow use “left” and “right” to
refer to rack columns as viewed from the rear of the rack.

Figure 5 and Figure 6 present a visual summary of the switch’s rack-mounting
hardware.

Figure 5: Mounting in HP Systems Racks

Left Front
Rack Column

Left Rear Rack Column

Right Front Rack Column

Sleeves

Right Rear Rack Column

Switch

Rails

14

Installing the Fibre Loop Switch

Figure 6: Mounting in HP Rack System/E and HP Rack System/U Racks

Left Front
Rack Column

"R" Spacer

Right Front Rack Column

"L" Spacer

Left Rear Rack Column

Sleeves

Right Rear Rack Column

Switch

Rails

Tools Required

To install the switch in an HP rack, you need a T25 Torx driver and a #1 Phillips­head screwdriver.

HP Rack Mounting Installation Steps

Installing the fibre loop switch into an HP rack requires the following general
steps:

• Step 1: Preparation

• Step 2: Mark the Rack Column Holes

• Step 3: Place the Barrel Nuts on the Rack Columns

• Also install the “L” and “R” spacers on the front columns of HP Rack
System/E and HP Rack System/U racks only.

15

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

• Step 4: Attach the Sleeves to the Front Rack Columns

• Step 5: Attach the Switch Rails to the Switch Chassis

• Step 6: Install the Switch

• Step 7: Complete the Installation

Step 1: Preparation

Before you install the switch into an HP rack, refer to the rack documentation as
you extend the anti-tip foot or ensure that the anti-tip feature is installed. Lower
the leveler feet.

Caution: Do the following to prevent the rack enclosure from tipping
over. Failure to take these precautions could result in serious injury and
equipment damage.

• Extend the anti-tip foot, or verify that the anti-tip feature is installed.

• Verify that the leveler feet are lowered.

• Do NOT extend more than one piece of equipment at a time out from
the front of the rack.

16

Use the original ordering information to locate where each component goes in the
rack. If the original ordering information is not available, use the HP Rack
Assistant software to determine where to mount the switch in the rack.

Use tape or a marker pen to mark the bottom of the single EIA unit required by
the switch. For EIA unit boundaries, refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8.

Installing the Fibre Loop Switch

Figure 7: Marking Holes and Attaching Barrel Nuts on HP Systems Racks

Right Rear Rack Column

EIA Unit

Barrel Nuts

Left Rear Rack Column

17

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Figure 8: Marking Holes and Attaching Barrel Nuts on HP Rack System/E and

HP Rack System/U Racks

Right Rear Rack Column

EIA Unit

Barrel Nuts

Left Rear Rack Column

Step 2: Mark the Rack Column Holes

Use tape or a marking pen to mark the screw holes where you will install the
barrel nuts:

• On each rear rack column, mark the top and bottom holes of the EIA unit on
the inside of the column, as shown in Figure 7 and Figure 8.

• On each front rack column, mark the hole on the middle of the EIA unit on
the inside of the column.

Step 3: Place the Barrel Nuts on the Rack Columns

1. Identify the six barrel nuts by referring to Figure 7 and Figure 8.

18

Installing the Fibre Loop Switch

2. Place two barrel nuts on each of the rear rack columns at the holes you

marked, as shown in Figure 7 and Figure 8.

Note: Install the barrel nuts with the threaded nut part of the barrel nut on
the inside face of the rack column.

3. For HP Systems racks only, attach one barrel nut to each of the front

rack columns at the holes you marked. For HP Rack System/E and HP
Rack System/U racks do NOT attach barrel nuts to the front columns.

Attach Spacers to HP Rack System/E and HP Rack System/U Racks

Use the spacers (shown in Figure 9) on HP Rack System/E and HP Rack System/
U Racks only (product numbers J1500A, J1501A, J1502A, J1464A, and
J1466A). Do NOT use them for HP Systems racks (product numbers J1487B and
J1488A).

The spacers are marked “L” and “R” because they differ. Install them inside the
front rack columns. Left and right front rack columns in the instructions below
are as viewed from the rear of the rack.

• Put the “R” spacer on the left front rack column, as shown in Figure 9.

• Put the “L” spacer on the right front rack column, as shown in Figure 9.

Note: The three holes in the spacer correspond to the three holes in the
EIA unit. Align the middle hole in the spacer with the hole you marked on
the front rack column.

19

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Figure 9: Installing Spacers on HP Rack System/E and HP Rack System/U Racks

Left Front
Rack Column

"R" Spacer

Left Rear Rack Column

Right Front Rack Column

"L" Spacer

Right Rear Rack Column

Step 4: Attach the Sleeves to the Front Rack Columns

When the installation is complete, each rack rail will consist of two parts, as
shown in Figure 10 and Figure 11:

20

• A switch rail, which is mounted on the switch chassis and is later attached to
the rear rack column

• A sleeve, which is mounted on the front rack column and which receives the
switch rail

Attach the sleeves to the insides of the front rack columns, as follows:

1. Identify the two sleeves, as shown in Figure 10.

Installing the Fibre Loop Switch

Figure 10: Identifying Switch Rails and Sleeves (Oriented for HP Racks)

Switch Rail

Sleeve

Sleeve Flange

Switch Rail Flange

2. Identify the six Torx screws.

21

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Figure 11: Attaching Sleeves to an HP Systems Rack

Right Front Rack Column

Rack Nut

Rack Nut

Sleeve

Sleeve

Sleeve
Flanges

22

Left Front Rack Column

Installing the Fibre Loop Switch

Figure 12: Attaching Sleeves to HP Rack System/E and HP Rack System/U Racks

Right Front Rack Column

Spacers on Inside
of Rack Columns

Right Sleeve

Left Sleeve

Left Front Rack Column

Sleeve Flanges

3. Position one sleeve on the inside of the rack front column with the

sleeve’s flange side toward the rack column, as shown in Figure 11 or
Figure 12. Align the hole in the front end of the sleeve with one of the
following holes:

• The rack column hole with the barrel nut on HP Systems rack.

• The middle hole of the spacer on HP Rack System/E and HP Rack
System/U racks.

4. Hold the sleeve firmly to the rack column, and insert one Torx screw
through the sleeve and into the spacer or barrel nut, as shown in
Figure 11 or Figure 12. Finger tighten the screw.

5. Attach the other sleeve to the other front rack column in the same way.

23

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Step 5: Attach the Switch Rails to the Switch Chassis

1. Remove the two side screws (one on each side of the switch chassis)
that retain the cover, as shown in Figure 13. You will not use these
short screws in the rest of this assembly.

Figure 13: Securing the Switch Rails to the Switch

Insert #1 Phillips-head screw provided

Switch Rails

Switch

Insert #1 Phillips­head screw provided

Remove short screw here, and insert
#1 Phillips-head screw provided

Rear Panel

Remove short screw
here, and insert #1
Phillips-head screw
provided

Switch Rail Flanges

2. Attach one of the switch rails to the side of the switch chassis with two
of the #1 Phillips-head screws provided, as follows:

24

• Orient one switch rail against the switch chassis as shown in
Figure 13. The flange on the switch rail is on the outer side of the
switch rail and near the rear panel.

• Align the holes in the switch rail with the screw holes in the switch
chassis as indicated in Figure 13.

• Insert the two #1 Phillips-head screws through the switch rail and into
the switch chassis as shown in Figure 13. Tighten the screws.

3. Attach the second switch rail to the other side of the switch in the same
way.

Step 6: Install the switch

Have the remaining four Torx screws available as you install the switch.

1. Pick up the switch chassis (with the switch rails installed) with the
open switch rail ends away from you. Carry it to the rear of the rack.

2. Carefully align the switch rail ends with the open rack sleeves, and
gently ease the chassis into the rack sleeves like a drawer, as shown in
Figure 14 and Figure 15.

3. Align the two holes on one switch rail with the holes with the barrel
nuts on the rear rack column, as shown in Figure 14 and Figure 15.

4. Attach that switch rail to the rear rack column with two Torx screws.
The screws go through the flange on the switch rail first, and then into
the barrel nut. Finger tighten the screws.

Installing the Fibre Loop Switch

25

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Figure 14: Installing the Switch into an HP Systems Rack

Right Front Rack Column

Sleeves

Left Front Rack Column

Left Rear Rack Column

Right Rear Rack Column

Switch

Switch Rail Flanges

26

Installing the Fibre Loop Switch

Figure 15: Installing the Switch into an HP Rack System/E or HP Rack System/U

Rack

Right Front Rack Column

Sleeves

Left Front Rack Column

Left Rear Rack Column

Right Rear Rack Column

Switch

Switch Rail Flanges

5. Attach the other switch rail to the other rear rack column in the same
way.

6. Use the T25 driver in a couple of passes to tighten all six screws that
you installed in the rack columns.

Step 7: Complete the Installation

1. Connect the appropriate AC power cord to the switch.

27

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Plugging in the other end of the power cord will apply power to the switch.
You can do either of the following:

• Connect the other end of the power cord to the power receptacle on
the rack, which means you will hot-plug devices to the switch.

• Wait to plug in the other end of the power cord, so that you can con­nect devices to the switch before you power it.

2. If you purchased a filler panel separately, install the filler panel on the
front of the rack by pressing it into place, as shown in Figure 16.

Figure 16: Installing the Filler Panel (Shown for HP Rack System/E and HP Rack

System/U Racks)

Right Front Rack Column

Filler Panel

Left Front Rack Column

Left Rear Rack Column

3. Retract the anti-tip foot, if desired.

Right Rear Rack Column

Switch

28

Powering up a System

When bringing up an FC-AL system, first make all the connections with the
equipment powered down, then turn on the fibre loop switch before turning on
any other operating component. The fibre loop switch does not have an On/Off
switch. For convenience and safety, connect the power cord to a grounded AC
outlet near the rack or desk so it is easily accessible. Ensure that the appropriate
power plug is available for the installation area.

1. Plug the power cord into the loop switch’s power receptacle, then plug
the opposite end into a power receptacle.

On power-up or when you press the reset button, the switch runs several
power-on self tests during start-up. The LEDs display changing patterns.
See Table 1 on page 3 to interpret the LEDs as the switch comes up.

2. Power on a host and I/O units.

3. Verify the presence of the I/O from units on the host.

4. Start the server application.

Installing the Fibre Loop Switch

Cabling for the Fibre Loop Switch

The fibre loop switch supports connection to multiple media formats.

Note: The following rules should be observed regarding cabling:

• Support and route the cables to prevent damage from sharp edges or from
being crushed by nearby equipment.

• It is important to route copper cables so that they do not introduce noise.
Don’t lay them over transformers or alongside power cables for any
distance.

• Provide support for installed cables, and do not allow them to have a bend
radius of less than 3 inches (76 mm). This is particularly important with
fiber optic cables as a sharp bend can decrease their performance even if
they are not physically damaged.

• When connecting fiber optic cables together with a barrel connector, make
sure that both fibers are the same mode and diameter.

• Laser types at each end of a link must match.

Cabling requirements for the fibre loop switch depend on the GBICs installed.
Depending on the GBIC, it can support multi-mode fiber, single mode fiber, or

29

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

copper cabling. Table 3 provides the specifications for optical cable support and
Table 4 provides the specifications for copper cable support.

Table 3: Optical cable requirements for the Fibre Loop Switch

Cable Spec Multi Mode Fiber Single Mode Fiber

Distance in Meters 2m–300m 2m–500m 2m–10Km

Fiber Core Size 62.5 µm

(TIA standard for
premise wiring for
US and international
use.)

GBIC Type Shortwave laser Shortwave laser Longwave laser

Wave Length 780–850 nm 780–850 nm 1310 nm

50 µm
(Not standard for
premise wiring use.
Proprietary point-to­point cabling use
only.)

9 µm

Table 4: Copper cable requirements for the Fibre Loop Switch

Cable Spec Value

Signal Level FC Intra-Cabinet Standard

Connector Type DB-9 or HSSDC

Distance in Meters >10–33 m (equalized cable)

0–10 m (unequalized cable)

30

Fibre Loop Switch

Troubleshooting

The following sections of this chapter provide information to help you
troubleshoot problems with your fibre loop switch:

• General Maintenance Considerations

• Troubleshooting the Switch

• Reset Button

• Connections

• Temperature Control

General Maintenance Considerations

Chapter 3

To protect the switch for longer use, we recommend that you:

• Periodically vacuum the external surfaces of the switch to remove dust.

• Do not drop fiber optic cable connectors onto hard surfaces. This can cause
internal glass fractures and intermittent signals.

• Keep unused cable ends covered to prevent contamination from obscuring or
attenuating the light signals

• Keep unused GBIC connections covered to prevent contamination from
obscuring or attenuating the light signals.

• Always follow the GBIC manufacturer’s recommended procedures for
cleaning the GBIC. This is especially true of the type of solvent used for
cleaning optical surfaces.

31

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

• Never insert foreign objects into optical transmit and receive ports.

• Do not bend fiber cable to less than a three-inch bend radius.

Troubleshooting the Switch

If there is a problem accessing a device connected to the fibre loop switch, the
source of the problem can be with the device, the switch, the host, or any of the
connections between the host and device. Follow the steps outlined below to
investigate the problem. A description of possible symptoms and probable causes
follows:

1. Check the power LED.

If it is off, the unit may not be plugged into main power.

2. Inspect the switch fault LED indicators for apparent problems.

If the fault LED goes on, the switch may be faulty or the temperature may
be out of limits.

3. Inspect the cabling between the switch and attached Fibre Channel

devices.

Check for loose, dirty, broken, or bent cabling and connectors.

4. If GBICs are in use, check that they are properly inserted and that

their cables are properly seated.

5. Check the port status LEDs.

Reading the LED Indicators

The LED indicators provide information about the status of the switch. These
should be used as the first stage in troubleshooting. The various LEDs are
interpreted by the following tables:

• Table 5 interprets the behavior that the Power, Fault and Initialization LEDs
exhibit.

• Table 6 gives a generic description of the Port LEDs.

32

Fibre Loop Switch Troubleshooting

Table 5: Reading The Power, Fault, and Initialization LEDs

Label LED Color/

Interpretation Possible Causes

Pattern

Power Green/ON The unit is connected to

an AC power source
and the internal power
supply is functioning.

OFF No power within the

switch.

Fault Amber/ON -Switch is running a

self-test.

-If the light remains on
after 15 seconds, the
switch failed the self­test or an environmen­tal fault has occurred.

OFF Self-test completed

with no fault found.

This is the normal state when powered
on.

-The line has no voltage.

-The switch is disconnected or the power
cable is bad.

-The switch is faulty.

- This is the normal self-test state.

-If the test fails, the switch may be faulty.

Normal running state.

Table 6: Reading The Port LEDs

Link
(Green

OFF OFF No signal Either:

ON OFF Good Signal Normal state for a valid port connection

OFF ON Port is bypassed Bad signal or no signal.

Fault
(Amber)

Interpretation Possible Causes

a. no GBIC has been installed
or
b. no cable with a valid signal has been

attached since the GBIC was
installed.

33

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Link
(Green

ON ON Switch is resetting.

Reset Button

Use the reset button with caution. The Reset button on the front panel of the
switch resets the internal control microprocessor of the switch. Sometimes a reset
clears a problem that appears to be the result of an unidentified error. Pushing the
Reset button interrupts all traffic and forces re-initialization of the loop. The
switch bypasses all ports and goes through normal power-on operations. Then the
switch reconnects the network by initializing all the ports connected to active
devices. Resetting the switch disrupts the network. This may affect performance,
but does not corrupt data on disk drives attached to the switch. It does, however,
erase any statistics and other management data that have been collected.

Connections

The following subsections describe the handling of GBICs and Fibre Channel
cables.

Fault
(Amber)

Interpretation Possible Causes

Power up or a reset.
Not a valid state at any
other time.

34

Caution: GBICs are sensitive to static electricity. Static discharge from your

clothing or other fixtures around you can cause damage. To prevent damage to the
GBIC, wear a wrist strap or discharge leash to free yourself of static before
touching it.

• Leave the device in its antistatic bag until ready to install it.

• Hold the GBIC by its edges and handle it carefully.

• Always follow the GBIC manufacturer’s recommended procedures for
cleaning the GBIC. This is especially true of the type of solvent used for
cleaning optical surfaces.

• Do not install any GBIC that appears physically damaged. This may result in
permanent damage to the switch.

• Keep unused GBIC connectors covered with the plugs that are shipped with
them to prevent contamination from obscuring or attenuating the light sig­nals.

Fibre Channel Cables

The fibre loop switch uses Fibre Channel cables to communicate with cascaded
and end-node devices. Loose or broken cables can cause a number of problems.
Inspect the cabling between the switch and attached Fibre Channel devices.
Check for loose, dirty, broken, or bent cabling and connectors.

1. Inspect the switch fault LED indicators for apparent problems.

2. Check that the GBICs are properly inserted.

3. Check the port status LEDs.

Temperature Control

As in the case of almost all commercial electronics, the fibre loop switch is
designed to work in a normal room temperature environment, which is between
10º and 40º C. In order to maintain adequate cooling, the fibre loop switch is
equipped with fans and a filler panel.

Fibre Loop Switch Troubleshooting

Fans

Three fans provide forced-air cooling and operate in parallel.

Caution: The air vents along the side and back panel of the fibre loop switch

must not be blocked when installed. The operating temperature must be kept
between 10 and 40 degrees Celsius (between 50 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit).

Filler Panel

The filler panel that came with the switch must be left in the back slot in order to
direct the forced-air cooling. The GBIC slots have doors to serve the same
purpose as the filler panel and they must remain closed if a GBIC is not installed.

35

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

36

Functional Specifications

Switching

Switch Backplane Bandwidth..........12 Gigabits per second

Switching Mode...............................Non-Blocking

Port Speed........................................1.0625 Gigabits per second

Communication Modes ...................Full or Half Duplex, Diplex

Port-to-Port Latency ........................< 2 microseconds

Physical Specifications

Specifications that follow are without mounting hardware or GBICs.

Appendix A

Fibre Loop Switch

Height ..............................................1.66 in (42 mm)

Width ...............................................17.3 in (439 mm)

Depth ...............................................16.26 in (413 mm)

Weight with Power Supply ..............10.681 lbs (4.85 Kg)

Environmental Specifications

Non-Operating

Temperature.....................................−30º to +60º C

Relative Humidity ...........................10% to 90% non-condensing

Operating

Temperature.....................................+10º to +40º C

Relative Humidity ...........................20% to 80% non-condensing

Acoustic Noise Emissions ...............<46 dBA

37

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Electrical Specifications

AC Voltage ......................................100–240 VAC autosensing

Frequency ........................................50 to 60 Hz

Rated Input Current .........................1.5A — 0.7A

LED Specifications

Front Panel LED Indicators

Power...............................................Green

Fault.................................................Amber

Init....................................................Green

Port LED Indicators

Link..................................................Green

Fault.................................................Amber

Fibre Channel Communications

Media...............................................DB-9 Copper, HSSDC Copper, SW Optical

Dual SC, GBIC

Protocol and Standards....................FC-AL, FC-AL-2, FC-PH, FC-PH-2,

FC-PH-3, FC-PLDA, FCP

Regulatory Certification

Safety Compliance

USA .................................................UL 1950, 1995 3rd Edition

Canada .............................................CSA C22.2 No. 950-95, 3rd Edition

European Union (EU)

and Nordic .......................................EN 60950: 1992 A1/A2/A3/A4/A11

Other Countries: ..............................IEC 60950: A1/A2/A3/A4

EMC Compliance

USA .................................................FCC Title 47 CFR, Part 15, SubpartB; 1998,

Canada .............................................ICES-003, Class A

38

EMKO-TSE (74-SEC) 207/94

Class A

Fibre Loop Switch Functional Specifications

European Union (EU)......................EN 55022: 1994 +A1 +A2, Class A

EN61000-3-2: 1995
EN61000-3-3: 1995
EN 55024: 1998

Japan................................................VCCI V3: 1997, Class A

JEIDA Guideline for the suppression of

harmonics: 1993

Australia/New Zealand....................AS/NZS 3548/95, Class A

Other Countries ...............................CISPR 22: 1997, CISPR24:1997

39

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

40

Regulatory Information

Regulatory Notices

Electromagnetic Compliance

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) requirements have been established in
many countries to regulate the radio frequency energy generated by Information
Technology Equipment (ITE). This energy is generated during the normal and
intended use of this equipment and so it is limited by country regulations to
levels intended to minimize potential interference to other electrical equipment,
including public safety services.

Two levels of radio frequency energy are allowed according to the type or use of
equipment. Class A levels have been established for use in commercial or
business environments. Class B levels are lower than the Class A requirement
and have been established for use in residential environments. Class B levels are
also suitable when the environment includes electrically sensitive equipment.

Appendix B

The fibre loop switch that you have purchased has been provided with
compliance labels to indicate where it may be used with reasonable protection to
the environment in which it is used. Additional statements are provided below as
required by the requirements of international and domestic regulations.

Wire connections to GBICs installed in this product must be made with shielded
cables with metallic RFI/EMI connector hoods in order to maintain compliance
with FCC rules and regulations.

Note: Check the label on your product to determine the level of operation.

41

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Notice for United States

Class A Equipment

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for Class A
digital devices, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC (Federal Communications
Commission Rules). These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions manual,
may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which
case the user is required to correct the interference at their own expense.

Class A Accessories

Installation and use of a Class A accessory creates a system that meets the
requirements for industrial and commercial environments. If you are installing a
Class A accessory in a system that has been labeled as a Class B product, the
requirements and notice for Class A equipment shall be applied.

Notice for Canada

This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian
Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
Cet appareil numérique de la Classe A respecte toutes les exigences du
Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.

Notice for Japan

For products labeled as Class A:

This equipment is in the Class A category information technology equipment
based on the rules of Voluntary Control Council For Interference by Information
Technology Equipment (VCCI). When used in a residential area, radio
interference may be caused. In this case, user may be required to take appropriate
corrective actions.

42

Notice for Korea

Class A Warning

Please note that this equipment has been approved for business purposes with
regards to electromagnetic interference, if purchased in error for use in
residential area, you may wish to exchange the equipment where you purchased
it.

Regulatory Information

Notice for Taiwan

Class A Warning

43

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Notice for European Union

Radio Frequency Emissions Warning for Accessories

This product has been found to comply with CISPR 22 Class A EMC emission
limits. Installation and use of a Class A accessory creates a system that meets the
requirements for industrial and commercial environments. However, in a
domestic environment, this product may cause radio interference, in which case
the user may be required to take adequate measures.

44

Regulatory Information

Declaration of Conformity (US and EU)

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

according to ISO/IEC Guide 22 and EN 45014

Manufacturer's/Supplier Name: Hewlett-Packard Company

Manufacturer's/Supplier Address: 10955 Tantau Avenue

declares, that the product

Product Name: HP 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch
Model Number(s): P4459A
Product Options: All

conforms to the following Product Specifications:

Safety: IEC 60950: 1991 +A1, A2, A3, A4/ EN 60950: 1992 + A1, A2, A3, A4, A11

EMC: EN 55022: 1998/CISPR 22:1997, ITE Radiated and Conducted Emissions

EN 61000-3-3: 1995, Voltage Fluctuation and Flicker

EN 61000-4-2/IEC 61000-4-2: 1995, ESD
EN 61000-4-3/IEC 61000-4-3: 1995, Radiated Immunity

EN 61000-4-4/IEC 61000-4-4: 1995, Fast Transient/Burst
EN 61000-4-5/IEC 61000-4-5: 1995, Surge
EN 61000-4-6/IEC 61000-4-6: 1996, Conducted Immunity
EN 61000-4-11/IEC 61000-4-11: 1994, Voltage Dips and Interruptions

Supplementary Information:

1) The product was tested in a typical configuration.

2) The product complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

 This device may not cause harmful interference, and
 This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

The product herewith complies with the requirements of the following directives and carries the CE-marking accordingly:

- EMC Directive 89/336/EEC including Ce Marking Directive 93/68/EEC

- Lo w Volt age D irect ive 73/2 3/EE C

Cupertino, March 1, 2001
North American Contact: Hewlett-Packard Company
3000 Hanover Street
Palo Alto, CA 94304
650-857-1501
European Contact: Your local Hewlett-Packard Sales and Service Office or Hewlett-Packard GmbH
Department ZQ/Standards Europe, Herrenberger Straße 130, D-7030 Böblingen, (FAX: + 49-7031-14-3143)
Quality Management Services & Systems Phone ++613 9272 8355

GB4943-1995

CFR 47 Part 15, Subpart B, Unintentional Radiators, Radiated and Conducted Emissions
EN 61000-3-2: 1995 +A1: 1998, Harmonic Current Emissions

EN55024: 1998/CISPR 24: 1997

Cupertino, Ca 95014 USA

45

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

Regulatory Notices - Product Safety

This product may be equipped with a Hewlett-Packard Optical GBIC containing
a laser. In which case the GBIC is a Class 1 Laser Product per US/FDA/CDRH
(21 CFR) and per IEC-825-1 (EN60825-1 and A11).

Laser Safety– United States

CAUTION This device contains a laser system and is classified as a

"Class-1 Laser Product" under a U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services (DHHS) Radiation
Performance standard according to the Radiation Control
for Health and Safety Act of 1968.
To ensure proper use of this product, please read this
instruction manual carefully and retain for future
reference. Should the unit ever require maintenance,
contact an authorized service location.

WARNING Use of controls, adjustments or the performance procedures

other than those specified herein may result in hazardous
radiation exposure. To prevent direct exposure to laser
beam, do not try to open the enclosure

Laser Safety - Finland

• LASERTURVALLISUUS

• LUOKAN 1 LASERLAITE

• KLASS 1 LASER APPARAT

46

Laser Safety - Germany

VORSICHT Diese Gerät enthält ein Laser-System und ist als "LASER

PRODUKT DER KLASSE 1"klassifiziert. Für den
richtigen Gebrauch dieses Modells die
Bedienungsanleitung sorgfältig durchlesen und als
Referenz aufbewahren. Falls Probleme mit diesem Modell
aufreten, die nächste "authorisierte Services-Verrtetung"
benachrichtigen. Um einen direkten Kontakt mit dem
Laserstrahl zu vermeiden, soll das Gehäuse nicht geöffnet
werden.

VORSICHT Die Verwendung von anderen Steuerungen oder

Einstellungen oder das Durchführen von anderen Vorgängen
als in der Bedienungsanleitung beschrieben kann
gefährliche Strahlenexpositionen zur Folge haben

Regulatory Information

47

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

CLASS 1
LASER PRODUCT

LASSER KLASSE 1
PRODUKT

This Fibre Loop Switch Unit is classified as a CLASS 1
LASER PRODUCT.

48

Appendix C

Warranty and Support

The hardware warranty below applies to components purchased as accessories. If
your component was factory installed as part of an HP Netserver model, refer to
the HP Netserver Warranty and Service/Support Booklet for the warranty
limitations, customer responsibilities, and other terms and conditions.

Hardware Accessories Limited Warranty

Hewlett-Packard Hardware Accessories

An HP Netserver Hardware Accessory is an internal HP hardware product that is
specifically designated for use with HP Netservers; is added on or integrated into
an HP Netserver in order to provide higher performance, capacity, or increased
capability; and is listed as a product in HP's Corporate Price List. Upon
installation inside an HP Netserver, the HP Netserver Hardware Accessory
carries a System-Matching Warranty. This warranty includes a one-year
Return-to-HP warranty or the remainder of the warranty period for the original
HP Netserver in which it is installed, whichever is longer.

This accessory may be serviced through expedited part shipment. In this event,
HP will prepay shipping charges, duty, and taxes; provide telephone assistance
on replacement of the component; and pay shipping charges, duty, and taxes for
any part that HP asks to be returned.

HP warrants this HP Netserver Hardware Accessory against defects in material
and workmanship, under normal use, for the period specified in the section titled
HP Netserver Limited Warranty Coverage. The warranty commences on receipt
of this product by Customer from HP or Reseller. If HP or Reseller receives

49

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

notice of such defects during the warranty period, HP or Reseller will either, at
its option, repair or replace products that prove to be defective.

Should HP or Reseller be unable to repair or replace the hardware accessory
within a reasonable amount of time, Customer's alternate remedy shall be a
refund of the purchase price upon return of the hardware accessory product.

HP products external to the system processor unit, such as external storage
subsystems, printers, or other peripherals, are covered by the applicable warranty
for those products. HP SureStore drives are considered external accessories and
carry their own warranty.

The customer may be required to run HP-supplied configuration and diagnostic
programs before a replacement will be dispatched or an on-site visit is
authorized.

Third-Party Hardware Products

HP does not warrant third-party hardware products. Third-party hardware
products may be warranted in accordance with the third-party warranty statement
accompanying the product. On-site visits caused by third-party hardware
products—whether internal to the HP Netserver system processor unit (such as
non-HP DIMMs) or external to the system processor unit (such as LAN
cabling)—are subject to standard per-incident travel and labor charges.

HP Repair and Telephone Support

U.S. and Canada

For hardware repair or telephone support in the U.S. and Canada contact HP
Customer Support Center (Colorado) [phone] (24-hours a day, 7-days a
week).

Other Countries

Refer to the HP Netserver Warranty and Service/Support Booklet supplied with
your HP Netserver system documentation for instructions on how to obtain HP
repair and telephone support.

50

World Wide Web

On the World Wide Web go to:

http://netserver.hp.com/netserver/

Warranty and Support

51

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Operation Guide

52

Glossary

This glossary contains terms and acronyms that may be found in this documentation.

AL_PA

Arbitrated Loop Physical Address. The low-order byte of a 3-byte Fibre Channel
Source/Destination ID field that defines an address hierarchy. This is also called a
Loop ID. See D_ID or S_ID.

AL_PD

A destination AL_PA.

AL_PS

A source AL_PA.

ANSI

American National Standards Institute, the organization that coordinates voluntary
standards for programming languages, telecommunications, properties of disk and
tape media, and more, in the United States.

Arbitrated Loop

A Fibre Channel standard defining a loop topology where up to 126 devices
communicate with one another using an arbitrated access protocol.

Arbitration

The process of selecting one respondent from a collection of several candidates that
request service concurrently.

Area

See Fibre Channel Address.

53

HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Opeartion Guide

Bandwidth

The amount of data per second that can be transferred from one device to another.
Bandwidth limits are set by a combination of speed of transfer, capacity of the pipe,
number of pipes, and overhead of sending the data. It is possible to transmit one
signal at the maximum specified bandwidth, or several different signals
simultaneously on different channels, each of them using a portion of available
bandwidth.

BLS

Basic Link Services (also known as Link Service). A Fibre Channel request/
response protocol common to all devices. The most universally implemented Basic
Link Service is Abort Sequence (ABTS), used for error recovery.

Broadcast

A transmission sent to all N_Ports on a network.

Bypassed port

A port status that indicates a port is not enabled on a loop, even though the port is
still physically connected to the network. A bypass can be automatic or manual.

Channel

A pathway between components in a computer system or between workstations in
a network.

Cluster

A group of systems that work together as a single system to provide fast,
uninterrupted service. It is a way to increase capacity and to add I/O bandwidth.

Credit

A numeric flow control value that establishes advance permission to send one or
more frames. It is used for either end-to-end or buffer-to-buffer Class-2 frames. As
long as a port has a credit of greater than 0, it is able to continue to send frames.
Credit is granted by a port during the login process.

Datagram

Datagram refers to an unacknowledged Fibre Channel frame or frame sequence,
borrowed from networking terminology. The Fibre Channel standards use it
specifically to refer to the type of unacknowledged service defined by Class 3
delivery.

Device

See FC-AL Device.

54

D_ID

Destination ID. A Fibre Channel Address of a frame defining the destination node
for that frame.

Diplex Communications

In addition to full duplex communications between a pair of nodes, a node can
receive from another node, while simultaneously transmitting to a third node
independently.

Domain

See Fibre Channel Address.

Duplex (full)

Operation of a data communication link where transmissions are possible in both
directions simultaneously.

Duplex (half)

Operation of a data communication link where transmissions are possible in both
directions, but only in one direction at a time.

ELS

Extended Link Services support messaging protocol for discovery and dynamic
address partitioning.

Glossary

EMC

ElectroMagnetic Compatibility.

Embedded Node Agent

An in-band Node Agent conducts automatic discovery and display of SCSI and SES
targets, SES enclosures.

Enclosure

The box, rack, or set of boxes containing one or more devices. It can provide power,
cooling, and other support functions to the devices.

E_Port

Expansion Port. It specifies the interconnection and initialization for a Fibre
Channel switch to create an inter-switch link. It is similar to an N_Port and an
F_Port.

Fabric

Fibre Channel-defined interconnection methodology that handles routing in Fibre
Channel networks.

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FC-0

The set of Fibre Channel standards that address media (optics, copper, connectors),
and physical signalling over that media (signal rates and timing, signal quality,
power, jitter, etc.).

FC-1

The set of Fibre Channel standards that address 8B/10B encoding/decoding and
transmission protocol.

FC-2

The set of Fibre Channel standards that address link protocols: framing, flow
control, link services, and error recovery.

FC-3

The set of Fibre Channel standards that define additional services which are
available to all FC-4 protocols, yet are not part of the link layer.

FC-4

The set of Fibre Channel standards that define the mapping of higher level protocols
(primarily IP and SCSI initially) to Fibre Channel link protocols and services.

FC-AL Device

A device that employs Fibre Channel-Arbitrated Loop and consists of one or more
NL_Ports.

FC-PH

FC-SW

Fiber

Fibre

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Fibre Channel Physical standard consisting of three lower levels, FC-0 physical,
FC-1 encoding, and FC-2 framing and signalling.

Fibre Channel Switch standard that specifies tools and algorithms for
interconnection and initialization of Fibre Channel Switches to create a multi­switch Fibre Channel fabric.

Refers to the strands of glass through which data in the form of light pulses are
transmitted in fiber optic cable. It is used for high-speed transmission over medium
to long distances.

An FC-AL term used to cover all transmission media types specified in the Fibre
Channel Physical Layer standard (FC-PH), such as optical fiber, copper twisted
pair, and copper coaxial cable. Fibre is not exclusively optical fiber.

Fibre Channel (FC)

An ANSI T11 standard which provides high-speed, high-reliability data transfers
among computing devices, storage devices, and networked equipment. It defines a
bi-directional, full-duplex serial data channel at speeds of 1 Gigabit per second and
higher, over distances up to 30 km. Current implementations support the transport
of SCSI and IP protocols over switched and loop network topologies.

Fibre Channel Address

A 3-byte address defining a destination or source node (N_Port, NL_Port, etc.)
There are 256 ports within each Area (only half of which are usable on FC-AL), 256
Areas within each Domain, and 256 Domains.

Table 7: Fibre Channel Address

Bits 23-16 Bits 15-8 Bits 7-0

Domain Address Area Address Loop Address

Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL)

A Fibre Channel workgroup topology supporting up to 126 devices without the use
of fabric protocols. Media access is performed through arbitration. Switching and
fabric features can be supported through the use of infrastructure products such as
hubs, switches, bridges, routers, and embedded management agents and services.

Glossary

F_Port

FL_Port

FPGA

Fabric Port. A port on a fabric switch to which N_Ports may be directly connected.
The F_Port is not capable of communicating with FC-AL protocol.

Fabric Loop Port. An F_Port that is capable of supporting an attached Fibre Channel
Arbitrated Loop. An FL_Port on a loop will have the AL_PA hex’00’ giving the
fabric the highest priority access to the loop. N_Ports or NL_Ports can attach to it
in an Arbitrated Loop topology and are capable of communicating with FC-AL
protocol.

Field Programmable Gate Array is a hardware device to which you download code
that determines the set of capabilities for that device.

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Full Duplex Communications

A pair of nodes able to both simultaneously send and receive data between each
other for an aggregate of 2 Gbps, effectively doubling the communications rate
between the two nodes.

Frame

The smallest unit of information carrying user data and protected by Fibre Channel
error control and recovery. Up to 2112 bytes per frame can be transported.

GBIC

Gigabit Interface Converter. It is a connector that offers flexible choice of media
and transmission technology.

Gigabit

One billion bits or one thousand megabits. It is generally used to refer to bandwidth.

HBA

Host Bus Adapter is a card that connects FC peripherals and server host buses such
as PCI and others. It also requires a device driver.

Hub

A central connecting device in a network that joins communication lines into a star
configuration.

In band

IP

Jitter

LAN

Latency

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“In bandwidth.” Using the same bandwidth (wires or data channel) for signaling as
for data transmission.

Internet Protocol. A protocol designed for use in interconnected systems of packet
networks.

Unwanted variations in the frequency or phase of a digital or analog signal due to
varying time delays in the circuit paths from component to component in the signal
path. Jitter can cause errors and data corruption.

Local Area Network. A communications system whose geography covers less than
5 kilometers. Transmissions within it are mostly digital, carrying data among
stations at rates usually above 1 Mbit/sec.

The time delay of data traffic through a network or a switch.

LILP

Link

LIP

LIRP

LISM

Glossary

Loop Initialization Loop Position map is the accumulation of all of the information
reported in the LIRP frames. It is optionally sent out by the initialization master at
the end of the initialization sequence.

In this context, it is a pair of fibers (RX for inbound and TX for outbound) that
carries information to and from a port. It is also called a channel.

Loop Initialization Primitive. A Fibre Channel Primitive Sequence transmitted by
FC-AL devices and infrastructure to signal a potential topology change, and to put
all devices attached to a loop into the same state for the purposes of Loop
Initialization and Loop Address administration. It can include LISM, AL_PA
assignment, and building a positional map of the loop.

Loop Initialization Report Position establishes a position map which is a table of all
the AL_PAs on a node. See also LIFC.

Loop Initialization Select Master is the process used to determine the temporary
loop master as part of the LIP.

Long Wave

Lasers or LEDs that emit light with wave lengths around 1300 nm. Long wave
lasers are used for long Fibre Channel links, from ~700-2000m. They are typically
used with single-mode fiber with a 9-micron core size.

Loop ID

A unique 7-bit value from 0 to 126 that represents the 127 valid AL_PAs (physical
addresses) on a loop.

Loop Tenancies

The time required for a data transfer to be completed. An FC node wanting to send
data starts a loop tenancy by arbitrating for ownership of the loop. Upon winning
arbitration, the device wanting to send data opens a communication channel to its
intended destination. When the destination device responds that it has available
buffer space, the sender sends data until it is finished. After the data transfer is
complete, the sender closes the loop tenancy.

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L_Port

Loop Port. It only has the capability to communicate over FC-AL hubs and through
FL_Ports.

LPSM

Loop Port State Machine. It resides on each loop-capable port and is responsible for
performing the loop protocols and the repeater function to pass information
through.

MAC Address

Media Access Control address. It is the 48-bit (12 digit hexadecimal), IEEE 802.1,
Universal LAN MAC address (ULA). It is constructed from the 24-bit IEEE
company ID and a 24-bit vendor-specified identifier associated with an Ethernet
port. It is also used to construct the Worldwide Name.

Managed Object

A data variable that represents a resource or other aspect of a managed device.

MIB-II

Management Information Base. A set of inter-related managed objects. The
attributes of these objects have network monitoring values whereby an SNMP agent
can access management instrumentation and at least one management station from
where a network manager can collect statistics and a management protocol to
exchange information between the agents and the management station.

Mirroring

Multicast

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The technique of duplicating the data from one disk onto another in real time, so
that if the primary drive fails, data is immediately recoverable from the secondary
drive. Mirroring is also known as RAID-1. The advantage is that it is simple and
does not necessarily require an array controller, and it is fast to store and recover.
The disadvantage is that it is the least efficient of the RAID types since it requires
twice the amount of storage as simple direct storage.

Data that is sent to a group of N_Ports in a fabric in parallel.

Network

NL_Port

Node

N_Port

Glossary

A collection of interconnected components and the protocols and physical methods
those components use to communicate. Network components consist of network
elements (infrastructure components) and network attachments (devices which use
the network to communicate). A Storage Area Network is a network whose
elements consist of computing devices, storage devices, and storage subsystems.
The predominant SAN protocol used is currently Fibre Channel.

Node Loop Port. It has the capability to communicate over both FC-AL hubs and
through F_Ports.

A node is a device that has at least one N_Port or NL_Port to provide access to a
Fibre Channel SAN.

Node Port. It only has the capability to communicate through an F_Port. It is a port
on a computer, disk drive, etc., through which the device does its Fibre Channel
communication as a direct fabric-attached port for use with point-to-point or fabric
topology. It is identified by a Worldwide Name.

N_Port ID

The Fibre Channel Address that a node sends in the S_ID of each frame it sources,
and the Fibre Channel Address that a node responds to in the D_ID of each frame
it receives. If a Fibre Channel node receives a frame which contains a D_ID not
equal to its N_Port ID, it is considered a delivery error and the frame is discarded.
See Table Table 8: for its structure.

OFC

Open Fibre Control is a defunct FC-0 signalling protocol used to provide eye safety
for optics which are not intrinsically eye safe based on their optical power. All
interoperable Fibre Channel ports use non-OFC optics.

Table 8: N_Port ID

Byte 2

Bits 23-16

Domain Area Loop (AL_PA)

Byte 1

Bits 15-8

Byte 0

Bits 7-0

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HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Opeartion Guide

Out-of-band

Using a separate channel for signaling to ensure full bandwidth availability for its
primary purpose. For example, although more costly, it ensures full bandwidth
availability for voice or critical data transmission.

PLDA

Private Loop Direct Attach. A profile that defines an interoperable FC-AL
implementation.

Port

A hardware pathway into and out of a node that performs data communications over
the FC link. For example, a “dual-ported” device has two separated pathways by
which data is transferred.

Private Loop

A Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop that stands on its own and is not connected to a
fabric.

Protocol

A set of conventions or rules used by a program or operating system to
communicate between two or more endpoints. Examples include IPX, TCP/IP, and
AppleTalk. Though the protocols differ, they all allow information to be packaged,
sent from a source, and delivered to a destination system.

Public Loop

A Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop that is connected to a fabric.

RAID

Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks. It is a disk subsystem that appears as a
single, large, fast disk drive, even though it is in reality composed of an array of
drives.

RFI

Radio Frequency Interference.

Ring

A configuration of computing devices interconnected in a ring shape. The
communication between any two points always includes all of the intermediate
points.

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Router

A device connected to two or more networks that decides to which network to send
the data. It is often used in SANs to connect SCSI devices to Fibre Channel
networks.

SAN

Storage Area Network. This concept brings networking to storage. It is a highly
scalable, managed, server-storage infrastructure that offers gigabit speed data
connectivity, high system availability, extensive fault tolerance, and low cost of
ownership.

Scalability

The ability of a system to incrementally increase connectivity and performance.

SCSI

Small Computer System Interface. There are several variations that range from an
8-bit interface for up to 7 peripherals to a 16-bit interface for up to 15 peripherals.
It is commonly used for many types of peripherals such as disks, printers, scanners,
and just about anything else.

Short Wave

Lasers or LEDs that emit light with wave lengths around 780 nm or 850 nm. Short
wave lasers are used for FC-AL links up to ~700m. They are typically used with
multimode fiber. A fiber core size of 50 microns provides greater performance than

62.5 micron fiber, which is supported for compatibility with existing wiring
networks, for example, FDDI.

Glossary

S_ID

A Fibre Channel Address of a frame defining the source node for that frame.

SNMP

Simple Network Management Protocol. A protocol used to examine and change
configuration parameters and counters of network-connected devices. Agents
(software running in the monitored/controlled devices) communicate with
management consoles and store variables as counters or in simple tables. The
variables are defined by MIBs.

SNMP Agent

A management entity consisting of hardware and embedded software which
responds to SNMP requests over Ethernet from an SNMP manager.

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HP P4459A 8-Port Fibre Loop Switch Installation & Opeartion Guide

Star

A configuration of computing devices within a LAN where each user is connected
by links radiating out from a central connection point such as a hub.

Switch Port

A port on a device that can directly connect two devices together through switch
connection. The P4459A is such a switch.

Topology

The physical or logical layout of nodes on a network.

WWN

Worldwide Name. It defaults to the lowest value MAC Address assigned to any
port.

WW Port Name

Worldwide Port Name. To ensure global uniqueness, the MAC Address prepends
16 bits to create a 64-bit identifier. The first 4 bits are a Network Address Authority
(NAA) controlling authority identifier. The next 12 bits are 0-padded. When
NAA=1, it means that the WW Port Name follows IEEE 802.3A Universal LAN
MAC addressing. Fibre Channel requires each port to assign an unchangeable WW
Port Name. See MAC Address.

ULP

Zoning

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Upper Layer Protocol. The protocol that runs on top of Fibre Channel through the
FC-4 layer. Well known ULPs that run over Fibre Channel are SCSI and IP.

The ability to divide a SAN into a number of independent zones for binding targets
to initiators. This allows a logical mapping of a physical configuration.