Specifications

Chapter 3. Pre-installation planning 33
Check with your local service representative to ensure your zSeries or 9672 G5/G6 server
has the required code levels.
3.8.1 FICON channel distances
The distance supported by the zSeries FICON features is dependent upon the transceiver
(LX or SX), the fiber being used (9 micron single mode, or 50 micron or 62.5 micron
multimode), and the speed at which the feature is operating. A FICON Express feature
supports a link data rate of 1 Gbps or 2 Gbps. A FICON feature supports a link data rate of
1 Gbps. Table 3-3 shows the distance impacts and the link budget impacts of high data rates.
In Table 3-3, a link is a physical connection over a transmission medium (fiber) used between
an optical transmitter and an optical receiver. The Maximum Allowable Link Loss, or link
budget, is the maximum amount of link attenuation (loss of light), expressed in decibels (dB),
that can occur without causing a possible failure condition (bit errors). Note that as the link
data rate increases, the unrepeated distance and link loss budget decreases when using
multimode fiber.
These numbers reflect the Fibre Channel Physical Interface specification. The link budget is
derived from combining the channel insertion loss budget with the unallocated link margin
budget. The link budget numbers have been rounded to the nearest tenth of a dB.
Table 3-3 FICON channel distance specifications
For more information refer to Fiber Optic Link Planning, GA23-0367.
Cascaded FICON Directors No No Yes
b
Yes
b
Ye s
c
Yes
c
a. Auto-negotiate (2 Gbps) support
b. LIC CC needed to be enabled
c. DRV3G with MCL(J11206) or later must be applied
FICON topology FC 2314 FC 2316 FC 2315 FC 2318 FC 2319
a
FC 2320
a
1 Gbps link 2 Gbps link
Fiber type Light source
(nanometers)
Unrepeated
distance
Link
budget
Unrepeated
distance
Link
budget
9 micron
single mode
LX laser
(1300 nm)
10 km
a
(6.2 miles)
7.8 dB 10 km
b
(6.2 miles)
7.8 dB
50 micron
c
multimode
LX laser
(1300 nm)
550 meters
(1804 feet)
5 dB Not
supported
N/A
62.5 micron
c
multimode
LX laser
(1300 nm)
550 meters
(1804 feet)
5 dB Not
supported
N/A
50 micron
multimode
SX laser
(850 nm)
500 meters
(1640 feet)
3.8 dB 300 meters
(984 feet)
2.8 dB
62.5 micron
multimode
SX laser
(850 nm)
250 meters
(820 feet)
2.8 dB 120 meters
(394 feet)
2.2 dB
a. An RPQ is available to extend the maximum unrepeated distance up to 20 km
b. An RPQ is available to extend the maximum unrepeated distance up to 12 km
c. Mode conditioning patch (MCP) cables are required