Installation guide

PCI-SB StarFabric PCI Interface Card Installation Guide 2-17
How StarFabric Technology Works
Networking StarFabric Devices
StarFabric-enabled devices can be interconnected in different ways to improve the
scalability and reliability of your PCI topology. Interconnecting these devices is
like weaving a fabric of related links, devices, and components throughout your
PCI topology.
The StarFabric-enabled device components such as the PCI-SB cards lie within the
fabric, as shown in Figure 10. The legacy PCI buses and PCI devices reside outside
the fabric, using the PCI-SB cards as interfaces to the fabric.
FIGURE 10. StarFabric PCI Bus Topology
The PCI-SB card handles the entire interface with the switch fabric, so the legacy
PCI buses and expansion chassis are unaware they are even part of the fabric.
P
C
I
-
S
B
C
a
r
d
P
C
I
-
S
B
C
a
r
d
P
C
I
-
S
B
C
a
r
d
Legacy PCI Buses with expan-
sion cards are outside the Fabric
PCI-SB card lies within the
Fabric