HP Mainframe Connectivity Design Guide

• Modularity
Modular design simplifies SAN scalability and increases return on investment by consolidating
and sharing systems.
• Open systems support (intermix)
FICON SANs support FCP operating systems, servers, and devices in an intermix environment.
Security measures such as zoning, LSANs, and VSANs ensure that FICON and FCP devices,
mainframes, and data are isolated from each other.
You must exercise care when designing and implementing an intermix SAN. Released
microcode levels for Fibre Channel SAN components may be different from the released levels
for FICON SAN components. In order to implement an intermix SAN, the microcode must be
released and certified to support both FICON and Fibre Channel in the same fabric or SAN,
as well as being certified for the servers and devices connected to the fabric. This adds another
level of complexity to your SAN implementation and the support requirements.
For more information about intermix, see “FICON SAN design” (page 154).
Your SAN can incorporate all these features, or you can start with a subset of these features and
add more as your business needs change.
HP FICON SAN implementations
You can configure a custom FICON SAN by choosing components and following the HP FICON
SAN design rules. HP FICON SAN designs employ a configuration philosophy that supports
comprehensive SAN implementations.
HP FICON SANs provide the following:
• Flexible design and deployment
HP provides standard topologies and design rules to meet the widest range of requirements
for your FICON implementation. The design rules and methods described in this guide enable
change and expansion as needs arise.
• Incremental scaling
HP FICON SANs maximize value by optimizing features and functionality of the SAN
components. You can expand your SAN over time by adding capacity and features as required.
• Interoperability
HP FICON SAN designs support multiple mainframe operating systems, FICON channel types,
and storage system types. In most cases, each FICON fabric must contain directors of the
same series. With few exceptions, mixing director series in a fabric is not supported. For more
information about SAN interoperability, see the following:
◦ “B-series FICON directors and fabric rules” (page 29)
◦ “C-series FICON directors and fabric rules” (page 46)
◦ “McDATA FICON directors and fabric rules” (page 63)
• Intermix
HP FICON SAN designs support the use of both FCP and FICON in the same fabric and
director. Best-practices can prevent FCP and FICON ports from communicating with each
other in the same fabric. For more information about intermix, see “FICON SAN design”
(page 154).
• Geographically dispersed installations
HP provides components to meet local and long-distance connectivity requirements.
HP FICON SAN implementations 9