Deployment Guide

Host connection
ME4 Series controller enclosures support up to eight direct-connect server connections, four per controller module.
Connect appropriate cables from the server HBAs to the controller module host ports as described in the following sections.
16 Gb Fibre Channel host connection
To connect controller modules supporting FC host interface ports to a server HBA or switch, using the controller CNC ports, select a
qualified FC SFP+ transceiver. For information about configuring HBAs, see the Fibre Channel topics under Perform host setup on page
41.
Use the cabling diagrams to connect the host servers to the switches. See the Dell EMC Storage Support Matrix for supported Fibre
Channel HBAs.
• Install and connect each FC HBA to a switch that is connected to the host ports on the two controllers that are shown in Figure 26.
Connecting hosts: ME4 Series 2U switch-attached – two servers, two switches on page 28 and Figure 27. Connecting hosts: ME4
Series 5U switch-attached – two servers, two switches on page 29.
• In hybrid examples, one server and switch manage FC traffic, and the other server and switch manage iSCSI traffic.
• For FC, each initiator must be zoned with a single host port or multiple host ports only (single initiator, multi-target of the same kind).
Connecting host servers directly to the storage system is also supported.
Qualified options support cable lengths of 1 m (3.28'), 2 m (6.56'), 5 m (16.40'), 15 m (49.21'), 30 m (98.43'), and 50 m (164.04') for OM4
multimode optical cables and OM3 multimode FC cables. A 0.5 m (1.64') cable length is also supported for OM3. In addition to providing
host connection, these cables are used for connecting two storage systems through a switch, to facilitate use of the optional replication
feature.
iSCSI host connection
To connect controller modules supporting 10 GbE iSCSI host interface ports to a server HBA or switch, using the controller CNC ports,
select a qualified 10 GbE SFP+ transceiver. For information about configuring iSCSI initiators/HBAs, see the iSCSI topics under Perform
host setup on page 41.
Use the cabling diagrams to connect the host servers to the switches.
• Install and connect each Ethernet NIC to a switch that is connected to the host ports on the two controllers that are shown in Figure
26. Connecting hosts: ME4 Series 2U switch-attached – two servers, two switches on page 28 and Figure 27. Connecting hosts:
ME4 Series 5U switch-attached – two servers, two switches on page 29.
• In hybrid examples, one server and switch manage iSCSI traffic, and the other server and switch manage FC traffic.
Connecting host servers directly to the storage system is also supported.
12 Gb HD mini-SAS host connection
To connect controller modules supporting HD mini-SAS host interface ports to a server HBA, using the SFF-8644 dual HD mini-SAS host
ports on a controller, select a qualified HD mini-SAS cable option. For information about configuring SAS HBAs, see the SAS topics under
Perform host setup on page 41.
A qualified SFF-8644 to SFF-8644 cable option is used for connecting to a 12Gb/s enabled host; whereas a qualified SFF-8644 to
SFF-8088 cable option is used for connecting to a 6 Gb/s host. Qualified SFF-8644 to SFF-8644 options support cable lengths of 0.5 m
(1.64'), 1 m (3.28'), 2 m (6.56'), and 4 m (13.12'). Qualified SFF-8644 to SFF-8088 options support cable lengths of 1 m (3.28'), 2 m
(6.56'), 3 m (9.84'), and 4 m (13.12').
10Gbase-T host connection
To connect controller modules with 10Gbase-T iSCSI host interface ports to a server HBA or switch, select a qualified 10Gbase-T cable
option.
For information about configuring network adapters and iSCSI HBAs, see the iSCSI topics under Perform host setup on page 41. See
also, the cabling instructions in iSCSI host connection on page 25.
Cable host servers to the storage system
25