.SAN design reference guide Vol. 1-5 785350-001

Figure 90 FCIP single-link configuration
IP
25146a
Fabric 1
Local
Fabric 1
Remote
FCIP dual-link configuration
A dual-link configuration provides redundancy (Figure 91). If one link fails, the other link temporarily
handles all data replication. For enhanced fault tolerance, you can use two IP providers.
Figure 91 FCIP dual-link configuration
IP
25147b
IP
Fabric A1
Local
Fabric A1
Remote
Fabric B1
Local
Fabric B1
Remote
In a dual-link configuration, HP recommends that you limit the maximum sustained I/O load to
40% of the maximum available bandwidth for each link. This allows for instantaneous bursts of
I/O activity and minimizes the effect of a link failure on performance.
FCIP shared-link configuration
A shared-link configuration uses only one IP network (Figure 92).
Figure 92 FCIP shared-link configuration
IP
25148b
Fabric A1
Remote
Fabric B1
Local
Fabric B1
Remote
Fabric A1
Local
NOTE: Do not use the shared-link configuration if you require high availability because it does
not provide redundancy between fabrics. It can also decrease performance because the total
bandwidth available for storage is shared by the two fabrics.
FCIP network considerations
Implementing FCIP with your existing network depends on the expected storage replication
application load and existing network traffic. The key consideration is whether you have enough
unused or available bandwidth from your network to support the current network load, accommodate
future growth, and handle replication load demands.
Table 135 (page 268) lists considerations for determining whether to use an existing network.
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