IBM Totalstorage SAN16M-2 Express Model

IBM Totalstorage SAN16M-2 Express Model ... environments. It can be used to create a wide range of high performance SAN solutions, from simple single-switch configurations to larger multi-switch configurations which support fabric connectivity and advanced business continuity capabilities. Infrastructure simplification solutions for IBM xSeries servers include storage consolidation and high-availability server clustering with IBM TotalStorage disk storage arrays. Business continuity solutions include data protection with IBM TotalStorage tape libraries and devices and IBM Tivoli Storage Manager data protection software.

A single SAN16M-2 switch can serve as the cornerstone of a Storage Area Network for those who want to obtain the benefits of storage consolidation and are just beginning to implement Fiber Channel storage systems. Such an entry-level configuration can consist of one or two Fiber Channel links to a disk storage array or to an LTO tape drive. An entry-level eight-port storage consolidation solution can support up to seven servers with a single path to either disk or tape. The FlexPort feature is designed to enable a base switch to grow to sixteen ports, in four port increments, to support more servers and more storage devices without taking the switch offline.

A high-availability solution can be created with redundant switches. This capability is ideal for server clustering environments. Such a configuration can support from six to fourteen servers, each with dual Fiber Channel adapters cross-connected to redundant SAN16M-2 switches which are cross-connected to a dual-controller storage system.