The next-generation IBM® c-type Directors and switches for IBM Storage Networking provides high-speed Fibre Channel (FC) and IBM Fibre Connection (IBM FICON®) connectivity from the IBM Z® platform to the storage area network (SAN) core. It enables enterprises to rapidly deploy high-density virtualized servers with the dual benefit of higher bandwidth and consolidation. This IBM Redpaper Redbooks publication helps administrators understand how to implement or migrate to an IBM c-type SAN environment. It provides an overview of the key hardware and software products, and it explains how to install, configure, monitor, tune, and troubleshoot your SAN environment.
The superabundance of data that is created by today's businesses is making storage a strategic investment priority for companies of all sizes. As storage takes precedence, the following major initiatives emerge: Flatten and converge your network: IBM® takes an open, standards-based approach to implement the latest advances in the flat, converged data center network designs of today. IBM Storage solutions enable clients to deploy a high-speed, low-latency Unified Fabric Architecture. Optimize and automate virtualization: Advanced virtualization awareness reduces the cost and complexity of deploying physical and virtual data center infrastructure. Simplify management: IBM data center networks are easy to deploy, maintain, scale, and virtualize, delivering the foundation of consolidated operations for dynamic infrastructure management. Storage is no longer an afterthought. Too much is at stake. Companies are searching for more ways to efficiently manage expanding volumes of data, and to make that data accessible throughout the enterprise. This demand is propelling the move of storage into the network. Also, the increasing complexity of managing large numbers of storage devices and vast amounts of data is driving greater business value into software and services. With current estimates of the amount of data to be managed and made available increasing at 60% each year, this outlook is where a storage area network (SAN) enters the arena. SANs are the leading storage infrastructure for the global economy of today. SANs offer simplified storage management, scalability, flexibility, and availability; and improved data access, movement, and backup. Welcome to the cognitive era. The smarter data center with the improved economics of IT can be achieved by connecting servers and storage with a high-speed and intelligent network fabric. A smarter data center that hosts IBM Storage solutions can provide an environment that is smarter, faster, greener, open, and easy to manage. This IBM® Redbooks® publication provides an introduction to SAN and Ethernet networking, and how these networks help to achieve a smarter data center. This book is intended for people who are not very familiar with IT, or who are just starting out in the IT world.
IBM® System Storage® Gen 5 fabric backbones are among the industry's most powerful Fibre Channel switching infrastructure offerings. They provide reliable, scalable, and high-performance foundations for mission-critical storage. These fabric backbones also deliver enterprise connectivity options to add support for IBM FICON® connectivity, offering a high-performing and reliable FICON infrastructure with fast and scalable IBM System z® servers. Designed to increase business agility while providing nonstop access to information and reducing infrastructure and administrative costs, Gen 5 Fibre Channel fabric backbones deliver a new level of scalability and advanced capabilities to this robust, reliable, and high-performance technology. Although every network type has unique management requirements, most organizations face similar challenges managing their network environments. These challenges can include minimizing network downtime, reducing operational expenses, managing application service level agreements (SLAs), and providing robust security. Until now, no single tool could address these needs across different network types. To address this issue, the IBM Network Advisor management tool provides comprehensive management for data, storage, and converged networks. This single application can deliver end-to-end visibility and insight across different network types by integrating with Fabric Vision technology; it supports Fibre Channel SANs, including Gen 5 Fibre Channel platforms, IBM FICON, and IBM b-type SAN FCoE networks. In addition, this tool supports comprehensive lifecycle management capabilities across different networks through a simple, seamless user experience. This IBM Redbooks® publication introduces the concepts, architecture, and basic implementation of Gen 5 and IBM Network Advisor. It is aimed at system administrators, and pre- and post-sales support staff.
This IBM® Redbooks® publication will help you to install, tailor, and configure the Open Systems Adapter (OSA) features that are available on IBM zEnterprise® servers. It focuses on the hardware installation and the software definitions that are necessary to provide connectivity to LAN environments. This information will help you with planning and system setup. This book also includes helpful utilities and commands for monitoring and managing the OSA features. This information will be helpful to systems engineers, network administrators, and system programmers who plan for and install OSA features. The reader is expected to have a good understanding of IBM System z® hardware, Hardware Configuration Definition (HCD) or the input/output configuration program (IOCP), Open Systems Adapter Support Facility (OSA/SF), Systems Network Architecture/Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking (SNA/APPN), and TCP/IP protocol.
This IBM® Redbooks® publication will help you install, configure, and use the new IBM Fibre Channel Endpoint Security function. The focus of this publication is about securing the connection between an IBM DS8900F and the IBM z15TM. The solution is delivered with two levels of link security supported: support for link authentication on Fibre Channel links and support for link encryption of data in flight (which also includes link authentication). This solution is targeted for clients needing to adhere to Payment Card Industry (PCI) or other emerging data security standards, and those who are seeking to reduce or eliminate insider threats regarding unauthorized access to data.
This IBM® Redbooks® publication describes the features and functions the latest member of the IBM Z® platform, the IBM z15TM (machine type 8561). It includes information about the IBM z15 processor design, I/O innovations, security features, and supported operating systems. The z15 is a state-of-the-art data and transaction system that delivers advanced capabilities, which are vital to any digital transformation. The z15 is designed for enhanced modularity, which is in an industry standard footprint. This system excels at the following tasks: Making use of multicloud integration services Securing data with pervasive encryption Accelerating digital transformation with agile service delivery Transforming a transactional platform into a data powerhouse Getting more out of the platform with IT Operational Analytics Accelerating digital transformation with agile service delivery Revolutionizing business processes Blending open source and Z technologies This book explains how this system uses new innovations and traditional Z strengths to satisfy growing demand for cloud, analytics, and open source technologies. With the z15 as the base, applications can run in a trusted, reliable, and secure environment that improves operations and lessens business risk.
This IBM® Redbooks® publication will help you design and manage an end-to-end, extended distance connectivity architecture for IBM System z®. This solution addresses your requirements now, and positions you to make effective use of new technologies in the future. Many enterprises implement extended distance connectivity in a silo manner. However, effective extended distance solutions require the involvement of different teams within an organization. Typically there is a network group, a storage group, a systems group, and possibly other teams. The intent of this publication is to help you design and manage a solution that will provide for all of your System z extended distance needs in the most effective and flexible way possible. This book introduces an approach to help plan, optimize, and maintain all of the moving parts of the solution together.
The IBM® b-type Gen 5 Fibre Channel directors and switches provide reliable, scalable, and secure high-performance foundations for high-density server virtualization, cloud architectures, and next generation flash and SSD storage. They are designed to meet the demands of highly virtualized private cloud storage and data center environments. This IBM Redbooks® publication helps administrators learn how to implement or migrate to an IBM Gen 5 b-type SAN. It provides an overview of the key hardware and software products and explains how to install, monitor, tune, and troubleshoot your storage area network (SAN). Read this publication to learn about fabric design, managing and monitoring your network, key tools such as IBM Network Advisor and Fabric Vision, and troubleshooting.
This IBM® Redpaper® publication describes best practices for deploying and using advanced Broadcom Fabric Operating System (FOS) features to identify, monitor, and protect Fibre Channel (FC) SANs from problematic devices and media behavior. Note that this paper primarily focuses on the FOS command options and features that are available since version 8.2 with some coverage of new features that were introduced in 9.0. This paper covers the following recent changes: SANnav Fabric Performance Impact Notification
