Fibre Channel cable question

shiryu · fully protected Joined: 04 Dec 2009 Posts: 12

Hi there, i apologize for this newbie question, but this is all new to me and i just want to make sure i get it right.

We are setting up our first XSAN system in our company and i want to make sure i have all the equipment i need. I need 2, 30ft cables to run from our 2 mac pros to the fibre channel switch connected to the xserves and vtrak. All the other shorter cables we have from Apple.

I am about to purchase the two long cables but i noticed that there are so many configurations, i want to make sure that what i am thinking LC to LC will work? As long as i have the SFP connectors am i correct?

Please let me know, thanks so much in advance!

matx · Xsan Master Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 378

Lc to lc.

Matt Geller's Xsan ref guide is helpful in all these matters. Even has some pretty pictures. Bob Kite has a great ref for advanced setups and Xsan 2 specific details.

shiryu · fully protected Joined: 04 Dec 2009 Posts: 12

thanks for the reply! I have ordered both books to hopefully help me set this thing up.

I have been searching the internet for SFP connectors to connect to the LC to LC cables, do you know any recommendations as to online stores i can purchase them?

thanks!

shiryu · fully protected Joined: 04 Dec 2009 Posts: 12

Found this:

Finisar FTLF8524P2BNL Transceiver mini GBIC 4GB 850nm

will this work?

thanks!

Bryson · Could work for Apple Joined: 31 May 2005 Posts: 43

Those should work just fine -

Also note that a good dealer should be able to provide all this stuff and also, easy returns for when you get the wrong stuff. But here's a quick rundown of fibre stuff. (we terminate fibre and there's a ton of mis-info out there)

We tend to use 50/125 850nm multimode fibre for fibre channel (sometimes 62.5µ as well) but 50 is more common and will do up to 10Gb for a pretty good distance. Either will work for 4Gb.

Don't mix 50 and 62.5 fibre, however.

One final note, there's no connectivity difference between SC and LC connectors, so if you are in a building that's got the right fibre, you can adapt to LC using SC to LC cables. A lot of facilities were cabled up with SC connectors in the past, LC's are more commonly used now.

Hope that helps folks out there -