Fibre Channel

Maria G. Luna

Objectives
Define what is Fibre Channel
Standards
Fibre Channel Architecture

Simple example of a Network Connection

Fiber Channel Layers
Summary FC Layers (Picture)
Fibre Channel Topologies

Technology Comparison
Conclusion
Maria G. Luna

What is Fibre Channel?

A high-speed transmission technology used as a
peripheral channel or network backbone.
It is a 100MB/sec, full-duplex, serial, data
communication technology.
It supports several common transport protocols
like Internet Protocol (IP) and SCSI.
It operates over copper and fiber optic cables at
distances of up to 10 Kilometers.
It is supported by many suppliers like Compaq,
Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Seagate, and Sun
Microsystems.
Maria G. Luna

Standards for Fibre Channel

The T11 Committee of NCIT, a U.S. standardsdevelopment organization under the ANSI
(American National Standards Institute) meets
6 times a year to develop Fibre Channel
standards.

Maria G. Luna

Current standards:
Some examples of current standards.
Performance from 266 megabits/second to over 4
gigabits/second.
Support for distances of up to 10Km.
High-bandwidth utilization with distance
insensitivity.
Support for multiple cost/performance levels, from
small systems to super computers.
Ability to carry multiple existing interface command
sets, including Internet Protocol (IP), SCSI, IPI,
and audio and video.
Maria G. Luna

Fibre Channel Architecture

Fibre Channel transfers digital data
between sources and users of
information.

This digital data represents different types

of information like programs, files,
graphics, videos and sound.
Each having its own structure, protocol,
connectivity, measures of performance
and reliability requirements.
Maria G. Luna

Network Connection Example

Node Ports

Printer

Node Ports

Computer/
Workstation

Node Ports

Server

Storage
Device
Node Ports

Computer/
Workstation

Fabric Ports
Maria G. Luna

Network connection (continued):

Network Connections are established between
the node ports (N_Ports), that are in computers,
servers, storage devices, and printers, and the
fabric ports (F_Ports), that are on the periphery
of the Fibre Channel Fabric.
The Fibre Channel Architecture specifies in
detail the link Characteristics and protocol used
between the node ports and the fabric ports.
The Fibre Channel can interconnect more than
16 million node ports in a single address.
Maria G. Luna

Fibre Channel Layers

Five layers FC-1, FC-2, FC-3, and FC-4.

Define the physical media, transmission rates,

encoding scheme, framing protocol, flow control,
common services, and the upper level interfaces.
FC-0, FC-1, and FC-2 - define how Fibre
Channel ports interact with other ports.
They are refereed to as the Fibre Channel
Physical levels (PC-PH Levels).
FC-3, and FC-4 - define how Fibre Channel ports
interact with applications in host systems.
Maria G. Luna

FC-0 : Media and Interfaces

Covers the physical characteristics of the
interface and media, including cables,
connectors, drivers, transmitters, and receivers.

Examples of media :
twisted pair
coaxial
multi mode/single mode fiber
fiber light sources
long wave lasers
Maria G. Luna

FC-1, and FC-2:

FC-1: Transmission Protocol

Defines how FC-0 signals are patterned to carry data

and how port-to-port links are initialized.

FC-2: Framing and Signaling Protocol

Defines the rules for signaling and the transfer of data.

Defines various classes of services, some examples:
Class 1: Is a full-duplex dedicated link between 2
ports. (Highest quality of service because it is the
most effective in transferring large amounts of data
at very high speed.
Class 2: Multiplexed connection , where 1 port can
carry different exchanges with many other ports.
Class 3: Multicast and broadcast where theres no
confirmation of receipt.
Maria G. Luna

FC-3 and FC-4:

FC-3: Common Services

Defines commons services provided by two or

more node ports in a host system. (Ex. Two or
more node ports, sharing a common port address,
which increases the bandwidth available from node
port to fabric ports).

FC-4: Protocol Mappings

Formed by series of profiles defining how to map

legacy protocols to Fibre Channel.
Profiles for protocols like IP, SCSI, for disk drives,
and several others are already defined here.
Maria G. Luna

Fibre Channel Layers

FC-4

FC-3

Maria G. Luna
Source: www.fibrechannel.com/layers/

Fibre Channel Layers

The previous picture illustrates the relationship
between the media type and the operating range for
each Fibre Channel, which is defined by the FC-0
layer.

For example we see that a Multimode Fiber medium has

a transfer rate of 133Mbps-266Mbps.
And Singlemode Fiber medium has a range of
531Mbps-1.06Gbps.
Whereas a copper medium has a transfer rate
2.12Gbps-4.25Gbps.

Maria G. Luna

Fibre Channel Layers (continued)

We also observe the relationship between FC-0
and FC-1, where FC-1 defines how the signals
are carried by the FC-0 layer.

We also observe that the FC-2 layer defines the

framing protocol, and flow control.
We also observe that FC-3 defines the common
services.
And that FC-4 is the layer defining the protocols like
IP.

Maria G. Luna

Fabric Topologies
There are three topologies for Fibre Channel
Fabrics:

Point-to-point
Where two node ports have the same signaling
rate and class of service.

Switched
Where 16 million node ports can be interconnected.

Loop (Ring)
Organizes up to 127 Fibre Channel ports on a ring,
and distributes the routing functions among them.
It is used more than the switched topology.
It also costs less than switched topology.
Maria G. Luna

Technology Comparison
Fibre Channel
Technology
Storage, network,
applicatios
video, clusters
Point-to-point loop
Topologies
hub, swithced
Scability to
2.12 Gbps,
higher data rates
4.24Gbps
Guaranteed
Yes
Delivery
Congestion data
None
loss
Frame size
Variable, 0-2KB
Flow Control
Credit Based
Physical media
Protocols
Supported

Copper and Fiber

Gigabit Ethernet
Network

ATM
Network
video

Point-to-point hub,
switched

switched

Not defined

1.24Gbps

No

No

Yes

Yes

Variable, 0-1.5KB
Rate Based

Fixed, 53B
Rate Based
Copper and
Fiber
Network
video

Copper and Fiber

Network, SCSI,
Network
Video
Table 3.3 Technology comparison

Source: www.fibrechannel.com

Maria G. Luna

Technology Comparison
Clearly from this table we can observe that Fibre
Channel is the best technology:

Because it provides a higher data rate than ATM.

Because it can be employed in more topologies,
when compared to the Ethernet, and ATM.
It is more reliable since the delivery of data is
guaranteed and theres no loss of data.
It has a bigger frame size of up to 2KB when
comparing it to Ethernets 1.5KB, and ATMs 53B
And also because it supports Network, SCSI, and
video protocols, whereas Ethernet only supports
Network, and ATM only supports Network and Video
Protocols.
Maria G. Luna

Conclusion
Once again Fibre Channel is a high speed peripheral
transmission technology used in networks.
With a transmission rate of 100MB/sec and with a fullduplex flow of transmission.
It is defined by five layers which are FC-0, FC-1, FC2, FC-3, and FC-4, and they define the media,
transmission rates, coding/encoding, framing, flow,
and protocols supported.
And when compared to the Ethernet and ATM
technologies it is the best.
Experts agree that Fibre Channel is the first
technology with the potential to move the data
communications industry into a low-cost-ofownership, commodity phase.

Maria G. Luna

References
ComputerSelect
Lee, Edwin. An Introduction to Fibre
Channel.
Unix Reviews Performance Computing (March,
1999).
Computer Desktop Encyclopedia.
Fibre Channel (1999).
Newton's Telecom Dictionary.
Fibre Channel Association (1999).
Black, George. Fibre Alliance to set new
standards. ComputerWeekly (February 11, 1999).
www.fibrechannel.com/layers/.
www.fibrechannel.com/standards/.
www.fibrechannel.com/tech_comparison/.

Maria G. Luna