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In this issue...
  • Feature: [iSeries] Is SAN the Right Storage Technology for You?
  • Spotlight: The FAQs on SANs
  • From the KEY e-Lab: IBM iSeries in Storage Area Networks Redbook
  • KEY Definitions: Terms of the Month
    • Feature Article :.

    [iSeries] Is SAN the Right Storage Technology for You?
    by Jill R. Aitoro

    The iSeries has always flaunted its superior internal storage capabilities. But with V5R2’s new support for switch fabric, some large iSeries shops may benefit from thinking outside the box — with external storage, that is. . . .

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    Originally published by the iSeries Network. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
    Spotlight Article :.

    The FAQs on SANs
    by Rupert Goodwins, ZDNet (UK)

    SANs are designed to be reliable, scalable, and flexible. To get the most out of SAN technology, it's important to have a firm grasp on the basics of SANs, Fibre Channel, iSCSI, and switch hardware.

    What is a SAN? A SAN is a storage area network--a collection of hard disks in a dedicated, very fast network, connected to servers via multiple switches. The SAN network is called a fabric, and connects any server to any storage device.

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    From the KEY e-Lab:.

    IBM iSeries in Storage Area Networks: Implementing Fibre Channel Disk and Tape with iSeries

    This IBM Redbook positions the new Fibre Channel (FC) support provided by the IBM iSeries server and OS/400 Version 5 Release 1 and later. The new FC disk adapter primarily replaces the existing Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) #6501 disk adapter for external disk. This new FC support opens the possibility of iSeries implementation in a storage area network (SAN). Fibre Channel adds a new dimension to iSeries networks, providing extended distance for both tape and disk.

    This redbook discusses migration from SCSI to FC attached disk and tape, including illustrations of how the migration is achieved. It also discusses the ESS Copy Services functions -- PPRC and FlashCopy -- as part of an iSeries solution.

    The material in this redbook is designed to help IBM specialists and Business Partners plan and implement a SAN-based solution on the iSeries server. It also targets IBM Storage Subsystems Group (SSG) and associated Storage Business Partners who will be involved in the design and implementation of these new networks.

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    KEY Definitions:.

    >From www.techweb.com/encyclopedia

    ESS (Enterprise Storage Server)
    A family of RAID-based storage devices for mainframes, UNIX and NT networks from IBM. ESS units are built with a high degree of fault tolerance and connect via Fibre Channel, SCSI, ESCON and FICON interfaces.

    Switch Fabric
    (1) The internal interconnect architecture used by a switching device, which redirects the data coming in on one of its ports out to another of its ports.
    (2) The combination of interconnected switches used throughout a campus or large geographic area, which collectively provide a routing infrastructure.

    Fibre Channel
    A high-speed transport technology used to build storage area networks (SANs). Although Fibre Channel can be used as a general-purpose network carrying ATM, IP and other protocols, it has been primarily used for transporting SCSI traffic from servers to disk arrays. The Fibre Channel Protocol (FCP) serializes SCSI commands into Fibre Channel frames. IP, however, is used for in-band SNMP network management. Fibre Channel not only supports singlemode and multimode fiber connections, but coaxial cable and twisted pair as well.

    Key Information Systems, Inc., (www.keyisit.com) a Premier Business Partner with IBM, is a systems integration company located at 22120 Clarendon St., Suite 100, Woodland Hills, CA 91367, USA. Founded in 1995, the company provides corporate infrastructure architecture for business continuity, storage, and e-business solutions. Key Information Systems is a leading provider of IBM server solutions for the iSeries, AIX (UNIX), NT, and Linux platforms and has distinguished itself by extending its high availability infrastructure solutions to the Internet economy. The company delivers a complete range of professional services including education, maintenance, and IBM Global Financing. For more information, please visit the company online or call 1-877-442-3249.

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