HP StorageWorks XP Disk Array Mainframe Host Attachment and Operations Guide XP24000, XP20000 (A5951 - 96151, September 2007)

2 FICON and ESCON Host Attachment
This chapter describes the process followed when attaching the storage system to a mainframe host
using a FICON or ESCON adapter.
Overview
The storage system supports all-mainframe, all-open system, and multiplatform operations and offers
the following types of host channel connections:
• FICON: The storage system supports up to 112 FICON ports capable of data transfer speeds of
up to 400 MB/sec (4 Gbps). FICON features, available in shortwave (multimode) and longwave
(single mode) versions, having 8 host interfaces per pair of channel adapter boards. When
configured with shortwave FICON channel adapters, the storage system can be located according
to the following:
• Multi Mode/ 62.5um 300m(1Gbps)/150m(2Gbps)/75m(4Gbps)
• Multi Mode/ 50um 500m(1Gbps)/300m(2Gbps)/150m(4Gbps)
• When configured with longwave FICON channel adapters, the storage system can be located
according to the following:
• Single Mode/9um10km, 20km (with RPQ)
If you need further FICON-related information, contact your HP representative.
FICON data transmission rates vary according to configuration. Note the following:
• S/390 Parallel Enterprise Servers - Generation 5 (G5) and Generation 6 (G6) only support
FICON at 1 Gbps.
• z800 and z900 series hosts have the following possible configurations:
FICON channel will operate at 1 Gbps ONLY.
FICON EXPRESS channel transmission rates will vary according to microcode release. If
microcode is 3G or later, the channel will auto-negotiate to set a 1-Gbps or 2-Gbps transmission
rate. If microcode is previous to 3G, the channel will operate at 1 Gbps ONLY.
• z9 series hosts have the following possible configurations:
FICON channel will operate at 1/2/4 Gbps (by auto-negotiation process).
FICON EXPRESS4 is supported in z9 series.
FICON channel will auto-negotiate to set a 1 or 2 or 4 Gbps transmission rate.
• Extended Serial Adapter (ExSA) (compatible with ESCON protocol): The storage system supports
a maximum of 112 ExSA serial channel interfaces. The ExSA channel interface cards provide
data transfer speeds of up to 17 MB/sec and have 16 ports per pair of channel adapter boards.
Each ExSA channel can be directly connected to a CHPID or a serial channel director. Shared
serial channels can be used for dynamic path switching. The storage system also supports the
ExSA Extended Distance Feature (XDF).
• Fibre Channel: The storage system supports up to 224 Fibre Channel ports. The fibre ports are
capable of data transfer speeds of 400 MB/sec (4 Gbps). Fibre Channel features can have either
8 or 16 ports per pair of channel adapter boards. The storage system supports shortwave
(multimode) and longwave (single-mode) versions of Fibre Channel ports on the same adapter
XP Disk Array Mainframe Host Attachment and Operations Guide 19