This IBM® Redbooks® document introduces the IBM Converged Switch B32. This switch supports Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), Fibre Channel, Converged Enhanced Ethernet (CEE), and traditional Ethernet protocol connectivity for servers and storage. FCoE is a new protocol that can expand Fibre Channel into the Ethernet environment, and it helps to combine and leverage the advantages of two technologies, Fibre Channel protocol and Ethernet. Features of the IBM Converged Switch B32 include: A 32-port multiprotocol switch for server I/O consolidation Enterprise-class availability for business continuance Improved return on investment and investment protection Fabric security for mission-critical information

"Do everything that is necessary and absolutely nothing that is not." This IBM® Redbooks® publication, written at a Data Center Fabric Manager v10.1.4 and Fabric Operating System v6.4 level, consolidates critical information while also covering procedures and tasks that you are likely to encounter on a daily basis when implementing an IBM b-type SAN. The products that we describe in this book have more functionality than we can possibly cover in a single book. A storage area network (SAN) is a powerful infrastructure for consolidation, distance solutions, and data sharing. The quality applications that the IBM SAN portfolio provides can help you take full advantage of the benefits of the SAN. In this book, we cover the latest additions to the IBM b-type SAN family and show how you can implement them in an open systems environment. In particular, we focus on the Fibre Channel Protocol (FCP) environment. We address the key concepts that these products bring to the market and, in each case, we provide an overview of the functions that are essential to building a robust SAN environment.

The rapid spread and adoption of production storage area networks (SANs) has fueled the need for multiprotocol routers. The routers provide improved scalability, security, and manageability by enabling devices in separate SAN fabrics to communicate without merging fabrics into a single, large SAN fabric. This capability enables clients to initially deploy separate SAN solutions at the departmental and data center levels. Then, clients can consolidate these separate solutions into large enterprise SAN solutions as their experience and requirements grow and change. Alternatively, multiprotocol routers can help to connect existing enterprise SANs for a variety of reasons. For instance, the introduction of Small Computer System Interface over IP (iSCSI) provides for the connection of low-end, low-cost hosts to enterprise SANs. The use of an Internet Protocol (IP) in the Fibre Channel (FC) environment provides for resource consolidation and disaster recovery planning over long distances. And the use of FC-FC routing services provides connectivity between two or more fabrics without having to merge them into a single SAN. This IBM® Redbooks® publication targets storage network administrators, system designers, architects, and IT professionals who sell, design, or administer SANs. It introduces you to products, concepts, and technology in the IBM System Storage™ SAN Routing portfolio, which is based on Brocade products and technology. This book shows the features of these products and examples of how you can deploy and use them.

The IBM eServer xSeries 450 is IBM’s new 64-bit Itanium Processor Family (IPF) Architecture server and is the first implementation of the 64-bit IBM XA-64 chipset, as part of the Enterprise X-Architecture strategy. This IBM Redbooks publication is a comprehensive resource on the technical aspects of the server, and is divided into five key subject areas: Chapter 1, Technical description introduces the server and its subsystems and describes the key features and how they work. This includes the new Extensible Firmware Interface, which provides a powerful replacement to the BIOS facility found on the IA-32 platform. Chapter 2, Positioning examines the types of applications that would be used on a server such as the x450. Chapter 3, Planning describes the considerations when planning to purchase and planning to install the x450. It covers such topics as configuration, operating system specifics, scalability, and physical site planning. Chapter 4, Installation covers the process of installing Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition and SuSE Linux Enterprise Server on the x450. Chapter 5, Management describes how to use the Remote Supervisor Adapter to send alerts to an IBM Director management environment.