The SGI Fibre Channel option boards (host bus adapter boards) provide interconnect capability between SGI servers or workstations and various SGI Fibre Channel storage and interconnect options.
This chapter describes the Fibre Channel PCI and XIO option boards that interface between the host system and Fibre Channel peripherals in the following sections:
The half-size 66-MHz SGI PCI Fibre Channel option boards support Fibre Channel sustained data transfer rates as fast as 100 MB/s with half-duplex operation for the PCI-FC-1POPT-A and PCI-FC-1PCOP-A boards, and 200 MB/s with half-duplex operation for the PCI-FC-1POPT-B and PCIX-FC-2POPT-B boards.
The PCI Fibre Channel option boards provide a high-performance interface between SGI host systems and the following devices:
Fibre Channel storage (direct connection): one Fibre Channel arbitrated loop (FC-AL or FCAL) interface can control up to 110 Fibre Channel disks, such as SGI Fibre Channel storage options.
SGI 8-port, 16-port, or 32-port switches.
SGI Fibre Channel hub.
Note: The PCI-FC-1POPT-B option board does not support the SGI Fibre Channel hub.
Information about the PCI Fibre Channel option boards is contained in the following sections:
The PCI board is available in four versions, one with a copper Fibre Channel connector and three with optical Fibre Channel connectors.The PCI-FC-1PCOP-A and PCI-FC-1POPT-A boards are designed to be installed in Octane, Octane2, O2, Origin 200, or Origin 200 GIGAchannel systems. The PCI-FC-1POPT-B and PCIX-FC-2POPT-B boards are designed to be installed in Octane2, Origin 3000, Origin 300, and Silicon Graphics Fuel systems.
Table 1-1 provides details about the four PCI boards.
Table 1-1. SGI Fibre Channel PCI Boards
Connection | Marketing Code | Part Number (FRU) | Supported Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
Copper | PCI-FC-1PCOP-A | 9210190 | Octane, Octane2, O2, Origin 200, or Origin 200 GIGAchannel systems |
Optical | PCI-FC-1POPT-A | 9210191 |
|
Optical | PCI-FC-1POPT-B | 097-0102-001 | Octance2, Origin 3000, Origin 300, and Silicon Graphics Fuel |
Optical | PCIX-FC-2POPT-B | 013-3726-001 |
|
Figure 1-1 shows each of the four Fibre Channel PCI board.
The PCI-FC-1PCOP-A and PCI-FC-1POPT-A Fibre Channel option boards require IRIX version 6.5; version 6.5.4 or later is preferred. (Note that the SGI SAN product requires version 6.5.5 with a specific patch or later.) The PCI-FC-1POPT-B Fibre Channel option board requires IRIX version 6.5.15 or later, or version 6.5.14 with a specific patch, or version 6.5.13 with a specific patch. The PCIX-FC-2POPT-B Fibre Channel option board requires IRIX version 6.5.17 or later.
To determine what version of IRIX your system is running, enter the following at the command prompt:
uname -r
For the optical versions of the Fibre Channel PCI boards, there is a standard SC connector on the PCI-FC-1POPT-A board, a standard LC connector on the PCI-FC-1POPT-B board, and two standard LC connectors on PCIX-FC-2POPT-B board.
Figure 1-2 shows pin assignments for the high-speed style-2 balanced cable connector (copper cabling interface) on the copper version of the single-channel PCI board
(PCI-FC-1PCOP-A).
For information on installing PCI boards in a specific host system, see one of the following manuals:
SGI Origin 3000 Series Owner's Guide
SGI Origin 300 User's Guide
Origin 200 and Origin 200 GIGAchannel Maintenance Guide.
Octane Workstation Owner's Guide
Octane2 Owner's Guide
O2 Workstation Hardware Reference Guide
Silicon Graphics Fuel Visual Workstation Hardware User's Guide
SGI provides two types of Fibre Channel XIO option boards: single-channel boards and dual-channel boards. These option boards and their installation are discussed in the following sections:
Three versions of the single-channel XIO option board are available. They are discussed in the following sections:
Table 1-2 provides details about the three single-channel XIO option boards.
Table 1-2. SGI Single-channel XIO Option Boards
Connection | Marketing Code | Part Number | Supported Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
Copper | XT-FC-1PCOP-A | 013-3008-001 | Origin 2000 |
Optical | XT-FC-1POPT-A | 013-3007-001 | Origin 2000 |
Optical | XT-FC-1POPT-B | 013-3859-001 | Origin 2000 |
Optical | X9-FC-1POPT-B | 013-3690-001 | Octane2 |
Figure 1-3 shows each of the single-channel XIO boards.
Single-channel XIO option boards XT-FC-1PCOP-A and XT-FC-1POPT-A require IRIX version 6.5; version 6.5.4 or later is preferred. (Note that the SGI SAN product requires version 6.5.5, with a specific patch, or later.) Single-channel XIO option board X9-FC-1-POPT-B requires IRIX version 6.5.13.
To determine what version of IRIX your system is running, enter the following at the command prompt:
uname -r
The half-size SGI single-channel Fibre Channel option boards (host bus adapter boards) provide a high-performance interface between an SGI host system and the following:
Fibre Channel storage (direct connection): one FC-AL interface can control as many as 110 Fibre Channel disks, such as those available from SGI.
SGI 8-port, 16-port, or 32-port Fibre Channel switches.
SGI Fibre Channel hub or other hub.
These 66-MHz boards support Fibre Channel and have sustained data transfer rates of up to 100 MB/s with half-duplex operation for both the XT-FC-1PCOP-A and XT-FC-1POPT-A boards, and 200 MB/s with half-duplex operation for the X9-FC-1POPT-B and XT-FC-1POPT-B boards.
The connectors on the optical versions of the single-channel XIO boards (XT-FC-1POPT-A, XT-FC-1POPT-B, and X9-FC-1POPT-B) are standard SC and LC connectors.
Figure 1-4 shows pin assignments for the high-speed style-2 balanced cable connector (copper cabling interface) on the copper version of the single-channel XIO board (XT-FC-1PCOP-A).
Figure 1-3 shows the four LEDs on the lower edge of the single-channel XIO option board. When illuminated, the LEDs are green. Table 1-3 summarizes LED information.
Table 1-3. Single-channel XIO Board LEDs
LED | Purpose | Illuminated | Dark |
|---|---|---|---|
A | 33-MHz PCI clock | PCI clock functioning at 33 MHz | PCI clock not functioning at 33 MHz |
B | 100-MHz PCI clock | PCI clock functioning at 100 MHz | PCI clock not functioning at 100 MHz |
C | Buffer status | Buffer full | Buffer not full |
D | Maximum retry timeout status | Maximum retry timeout in process | Maximum retry timeout not in process |
This section describes the dual-channel XIO option boards for Onyx2, Octane, Origin 2000, and Origin 200 GIGAchannel systems in the following subsections:
The SGI dual-channel XIO option board is available in two versions, as summarized in Table 1-4.
Table 1-4. Dual-channel XIO Option Boards
Connector | Marketing Code | Part Number | Supported Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
Copper | XT-FC-2P | 030-0927-00x | Origin 2000, Origin 200, and Onyx2 |
Copper | X9-FC-2P | 013-2119-00x | Octane |
The two versions have identical functionality and differ only in mechanical aspects appropriate to the platforms for which they are intended as follows:
The version for Origin 2000, Origin 200, and Onyx2 servers and graphics workstations has the hook actuator for the compression connector on the system midplane.
The version for Octane workstations lacks the hook actuator, which is not needed for this platform and would prevent installation of the board.
Figure 1-5 shows only the version of the dual-channel XIO board and connectors Origin 2000, Origin 200, and Onyx2 servers and graphics workstations. (Figure 1-5 does not show the version for Octane workstations, which lacks the hook actuator.)
Both dual-channel XIO option boards (XT-FC-2P and X9-FC-2P) require IRIX 6.5 or later, or IRIX 6.4.1 with the June 1999 patch set. To determine what version of IRIX your system is running, enter the following at the command prompt:
uname -r
The half-size dual-channel XIO boards (XT-FC-2P and X9-FC-2P) provide the high-performance interface between an SGI workstation or server with an XIO slot and FC-AL interfaces, which connect to Fibre Channel disk enclosures or the SGI Fibre Channel hub or another hub. (See Chapter 2, “Fibre Channel Basics”, for an explanation of Fibre Channel topology and architecture.)
The dual-channel XIO boards support Fibre Channel Class 3 operations as a loop port (L_Port). The firmware supports Class 3 and FC-AL (arbitrated loop) transfers only. For details on ports and FC-AL, see Chapter 2, “Fibre Channel Basics”.
| Note: These boards do not support fabric, that is, Fibre Channel switches. For such support, use the single-channel XIO option boards discussed in “Single-channel XIO Option Boards”. |
Each dual-channel XIO board has two 9-pin (DB-9) female connectors, labeled Channel 0 and Channel 1. Each channel can control as many as 110 Fibre Channel disks. Figure 1-6 shows pin assignments.
Both a copper and an optical interface are supported. The native interface is copper, as is standard for FC-AL. To use an optical cable, you must attach a media interface adapter, which is described in “Optional Media Interface Adapter (MIA)”.
Each connector on the board has a pair of LEDs with these functions:
The green LED (LinkUp) lights and remains on when the board is successfully initialized.
The orange LED lights and remains on when the loop is successfully initialized.
SGI provides an optional fiber optic media interface adapter (MIA) to enable a connection between the dual-channel XIO option board's DB-9 connectors and fiber optic cabling. For these connections, SGI supports optical cabling distances of 25, 100, or 300 meters. The MIA is used with 62.5 μm optical cable.
The marketing code for the MIA (X-F-OE-KIT) includes two modules
(part number 9980952), one for each end of an optical cable.
The MIA uses a shortwave laser (CD-ROM laser) with a wavelength of 780 nm. A full-duplex module, it converts photons to electrons in one direction, and converts electrons to photons in the other direction.
An industry-standard duplex SC connection supplies the external fiber optic connection. This connection consists of two parts: the female part is in the MIA and the male part is on the fiber optic cable connector, as indicated in Figure 1-7. This connection is keyed.
Transceivers (SerDes) embedded on each board convert 8-bit parallel user data to 10-bit differential serial signals (8B10) and vice versa. They also provide frame synchronization, word alignment, and clock recovery for incoming serial data.
For incoming serial data, two recovered clocks at 53.125 MHz for odd or even bytes are provided as outputs on two pins, 180 degrees out of phase. Any required equalization to compensate for high-frequency losses for copper cables (by attenuating the lower frequencies to match) is supplied externally to the Fibre Channel option board. Serial data in both directions between the transformer and the external connector is AC-coupled via a capacitor.
If the dual-channel XIO option board loses power or the physical Fibre Channel connection is broken, the link to which the board is attached becomes inoperable. High-availability loop configurations require the use of a Fibre Channel hub.
The board installation process depends on the type of workstation or server you have, as follows:
For Origin 2000 servers and Onyx2 workstations, contact your factory-authorized field service personnel.
For all other applicable SGI workstations or servers, such as the Octane, Octane2, and Origin 200 GIGAchannel, refer to the owner's guide, user's guide, maintenance guide, or installation guide that came with your system. If you do not have these guides, see “Other Documentation”.
For the dual-channel XIO board for Octane systems (X9-FC-2P), see OCTANE™ XIO Standalone Option Board Installation Guide, which is included with this option board.