Specifications

Chapter 6. IBM Virtual Fabric 10Gb Switch

Module implementation

This chapter provides information and instructions for implementing the IBM Virtual Fabric

10Gb Switch Module for IBM BladeCenter. Using the reference architecture described in

Chapter 3, “Reference architectures” on page 107, this chapter presents a step by step guide

for implementing and configuring the most important functions available in IBM Networking

OS. It is not meant to cover all the features in the operating system. Instead, it strictly refers to

the proposed test architecture.

The network topology used for Virtual Fabric 10Gb Switch Module (VFSM) implementation is

built by using two switch modules, installed in an IBM BladeCenter H chassis and a blade

server that runs the Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system.

This network configuration is not meant to be a stand-alone network configuration, but

integrated with the IBM RackSwitch implementation described in Chapter 5, “IBM System

Networking RackSwitch implementation” on page 155.

The goal of this chapter is that the final result is a fully functional, integrated network that is

able to prove the operation of the implemented features.