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.

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.

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.

As we all know, large ocean going ships never collide with icebergs. However, occasionally life deals out some unexpected pleasures for us to cope with. Surviving any disaster in life is usually a lot easier if you have prepared adequately by taking into account the likely problems, solutions, and their implementation. In this IBM Redbooks publication, we limit ourselves to those situations in which it is likely that a SAN will be deployed. We present the IBM SAN portfolio of products, going a little under the surface to show the fault tolerant features that they utilize, and then describe solutions with all these features taken into account. Each of these solutions was built on practical experience, in some cases with cost in mind, in some cases with no cost in mind. Any well-thought-out SAN design will have taken every single one of these concerns into account, and either formulated a solution for it, or ignored it, but nonetheless understanding the potential exposure. With these points in mind, in this book we have two objectives: to position the IBM SAN products that are currently in our portfolio; and to show how those products can be configured together to build a SAN that not only allows you to survive most forms of disaster, but also provides performance benefits. So, make sure that you know what to do if you hit an iceberg!

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.