HP Mainframe Connectivity Design Guide

Maximum repeated distance
The maximum repeated distance for FICON is 100 km.
Distance extension products are available for increasing the maximum distance. Use of extension
products depends on the CU and application you are running. For more information about distance
extension, see “FICON and FICON SAN extension” (page 120).
FICON SAN zoning rules
When building a FICON SAN, follow these zoning rules:
• Ensure that all FICON ports are in the same zone, Meta SAN, or VSAN.
• If the fabric contains FICON channels only, then it should be in one zone (no zoning is
required).
• In an intermix environment, use the director-model-specific method to segregate FICON ports
from Fibre Channel ports using different zones, Meta SANs, or VSANs. For more information
about intermix, see “FICON SAN best practices” (page 154).
For more information about director-model-specific methods, see:
◦ “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)
96 Mainframe rules