126 IBM System Storage N series Hardware Guide
9.1 FibreBridge 6500N
The ATTO FibreBridge 6500N provides an innovative bridging solution between the Fibre
Channel and SAS protocols. It is an FC/SAS bridge in EXN3000 (2857-003) and EXN3500
(2857-006) storage expansion units that are attached to IBM System Storage N series
storage systems in a MetroCluster configuration.
The ATTO FibreBridge is a performance tuned intelligent protocol translator that allows
upstream initiators that are connected through Fibre Channel to communicate with
downstream targets that are connected through SAS. It is a high-performance bridge that
adds 8-Gigabit Fibre Channel connectivity to 6-Gigabit SAS storage devices. ATTO
FibreBridge provides a complete highly available connectivity solution for MetroCluster.
9.1.1 Description
MetroCluster adds great availability to N series systems but is limited to Fibre Channel drive
shelves only. Before 8.1, both SATA and Fibre Channel drive shelves were supported on
active-active configuration in stretch MetroCluster configurations. However, both plexes of the
same aggregate must use the same type of storage. In a fabric MetroCluster configuration,
only Fibre Channel drive shelves were supported.
Starting with Data ONTAP 8.1, EXN3000 (SAS or SATA) and EXN3500 are supported on
Fabric MetroCluster and on Stretch MetroCluster through SAS Fibre Channel bridge
(FibreBridge). The FibreBridge (as shown in Figure 9-1) runs protocol conversion from SAS
to Fibre Channel. It enables connectivity between Fibre Channel initiators and SAS storage
enclosure devices so that SAS disks display as LUNs in a MetroCluster fabric.
Figure 9-1 FibreBridge front view
The FibreBridge is only available as part of the MetroCluster solution and is intended for
back-end shelf cabling only.
9.1.2 Architecture
FibreBridge 6500N bridges are used in MetroCluster systems when SAS disk shelves are
used. You can install the bridges by using the following methods:
As part of a new MetroCluster installation
As a hot-add to an existing MetroCluster system with SAS or Fibre Channel disk shelves
As a hot-swap to replace a failed bridge
You can also hot-add a SAS disk shelf to an existing stack of SAS disk shelves, as shown in
Table 9-1 on page 127.
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