Installation guide

Connecting to Ethernet devices
For copper connections to a 10/100Base-TX or 1000Base-T device or another Brocade device, a
crossover cable is required.
NOTE
The 802.3ab standard (automatic MDI or MDIX detection) calls for automatic negotiation of the
connection between two 1000Base-T ports. Therefore, a crossover cable may not be required; a
straight-through cable may work as well.
Connecting to workstations, servers, or routers
Straight-through unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cabling is required for direct UTP attachment to
workstations, servers, or routers using network interface cards (NICs).
Fiber cabling is required for direct attachment to Gigabit NICs or switches and routers through fiber
ports.
Connecting a network device to a fiber port
For direct attachment from the Brocade device to a Gigabit NIC, switch, or router, fiber cabling with an
LC connector is required.
Testing connectivity
After you install the network cables, you can test network connectivity to other devices by observing
the LEDs related to network connection and performing trace routes.
Installing transceivers and attaching cables
The following two sets of steps cover the installation of transceivers and cables for most SFP and for
QSFP transceivers.
CAUTION
Before plugging a cable into to any port, be sure to discharge the voltage stored on the cable
by touching the electrical contacts to ground surface.
Installing SFP and SFP+ transceivers and cables
Complete the following steps to install optical SFP and SFP+ transceivers.
1. Add the transceivers and cables to the line card ports.
Position one of the optical transceivers so that the key is oriented correctly to the port. Insert the
transceiver into the port until it is firmly seated and the latching mechanism clicks.
Connecting to Ethernet devices
48 Brocade VDX 8770-8 Hardware Installation Guide
53-1002564-07