RE: FC speeds

[Steve Pavlichek <spavlichek@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I agree with Jim, I recommend 8GB FC for tape connectivity, although some customers want the fastest and latest of everything.

Another thing to be aware of when using the 16GB FC for tape, you MUST use a FC switch. Direct connect to tape drive is not supported as it is with the 8GB FC adapters. I learned the hard way on this one.

From: Jim Oberholtzer<mailto:midrangel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2018 5:56 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion<mailto:midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: FC speeds

I get your point Paul and don't dispute it.  But too often I've seen deals
stop because the price just gets too high.  Economizing on things like
backup Fibre are the places we look to not break the camel's back.......

Jim Oberholtzer
CEO/Chief Technical Architect
Agile Technology Architects

On Thu, Apr 19, 2018 at 4:47 PM, Musselman, Paul <
pmusselman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Buy the faster card while the checkbook is open!  (:
>
> Rob, what's the combined throughput of all of the backups running at
> once?  Will that fill 8GB?
>
> Paul E Musselman
> PaulMmn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
> Jim Oberholtzer
> Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2018 5:44 PM
> To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: FC speeds
>
> Yes, the 16GB cards will step down to 8GB.  No worries there, However,
>
> The 16GB card is easily twice the price of the 8GB card, so if you can't
> use it, why buy it?
>
> then the other question is if this is driving tape or VTL, are they that
> fast?  Answer no.  LTO8 is not running at those speeds yet.
>
> Jim Oberholtzer
> CEO/Chief Technical Architect
> Agile Technology Architects
>
> On Thu, Apr 19, 2018 at 3:12 PM, Rob Berendt <rob@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > Apparently when we go from Power 8 to Power 9 we're upgrading from 8GB FC
> > 5735 to 16GB FC EN0A.
> > The 16GB is supposed to have the smarts to dial down as needed.
> >
> > Our SAN and it's inserts are currently limited to 8GB FC.  Scheduled to
> > upgrade perhaps next year.
> > Then there's our EMC DD 2500.  I believe that's limited to 8GB FC.  True?
> >
> > I don't believe we're really pushing the speed here but I wouldn't mind
> > being surprised and that it is possible to be even faster.
> > We do save from multiple lpars at once into that DD.
> > Although the TSM on the AIX lpar using lan and not FC.
> >
> >
> > Rob Berendt
> > --
> > IBM Certified System Administrator - IBM i 6.1
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> > Dept 1600
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