IBM TotalStorage SAN256B

IBM TotalStorage SAN256B

* High availability with built-in redundancy designed to avoid single points of failure
* Highly scalable director with 16 or 32 ports per port switch blade, and from 16 to 256 ports in a single domain
* Multiprotocol router blade with sixteen Fibre Channel (FC) ports and two Internet Protocol (IP) ports for SAN routing and distance extension over IP

* Port switch blades support FICON® Director switching with Fibre Channel/FICON intermix, FICON CUP (Control Unit Port) and FICON cascading
* Interoperable with other IBM® TotalStorage® SAN b-type switches and directors
* Offers advanced security with comprehensive policy-based security capabilities
* Offers advanced fabric services such as end-to-end performance monitoring and fabric-wide health monitoring

The IBM TotalStorage SAN256B, with next-generation director technology, is designed to provide outstanding performance, enhanced scalability and a design ready for high performance 4 Gbps capable hardware and expanded capability features. The SAN256B is well suited to address enterprise SAN customer requirements for infrastructure simplification and improved business continuity.
IBM TotalStorage SAN256B fabric switch
Improved port density enables up to 256 ports in 14U vertical rack space to maximize datacenter efficiency

The SAN256B director interoperates with other members of the IBM TotalStorage SAN b-type family. It can be configured with a wide range of highly scalable solutions that address demands for integrated IBM System z™ and open system server enterprise SANs.


Common features
· Designed for mid-range to enterprise-class SANs
· Ideal as core-component in a core-to-edge SAN fabric
· 4 Gbps industry-standard Fibre Channel (FC) switch (requires storage system hardware that supports 4 Gbps throughput)
· 4, 2 and 1 Gbps auto-sensing capability
· Fabric Operating System V5 is common across all members of the IBM TotalStorage SAN b-type family
· Advanced Inter-Switch Link (ISL) Trunking, Load Balancing and Advanced Zoning
· Web Tools, Fabric Watch, Hot Code Activation and Performance Monitor
· Optional Extended Fabric Activation, Remote Switch Activation, FICON with CUP Activation, Advanced Security Activation, FCIP Activation

Hardware summary
· Chassis includes two control processor blades plus space for one to eight port blades, dual power supplies and fans in a 14U rack height
· Available 4 Gbps 16-port and 32-port switch blades and 16-port FC/2-port IP routing blades
· 4 Gbps shortwave and longwave Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) optical transceivers support distances up to 500m and 35 km respectively
· Full Fabric Operation and Universal Port (E, F and FL port) operation
· Many non-disruptive software upgrades and hot-swappable switch blades, power supplies and fans
· Fabric Shortest Path First (FSPF) designed to reroute around failed links
· Option to install in IBM TotalStorage SAN Cabinet C36