Apple Servers

Xserve RAID features dual 2Gb Fibre Channel ports for ultrafast data transport between the storage system and the host computer. Previously available only in high-end RAID systems, this industry-standard interconnect technology provides superior bandwidth, availability and deployment flexibility over earlier-generation SCSI technology.

400MB/s throughput

Each 2Gb Fibre Channel port offers 200MB/s bandwidth for a total throughput of up to 400MB/s. Fibre Channel is the only storage connectivity technology that provides guaranteed bandwidth, so the host computer receives data at the same high speed as the RAID system sends it out.

Superior scalability and simplicity

In contrast to Gigabit Ethernet or SCSI technologies, adding storage units to a Fibre Channel network won’t lead to congestive data loss or reduced overall bandwidth. The highly scalable Fibre Channel technology can address up to 126 devices per loop, with each device receiving a full 200MB/s throughput. SCSI technology allows for a maximum of only 15 devices per channel, which means that large SCSI arrays involve added expense and complexity.

Flexible deployment capabilities

The Fibre Channel interface supports multiple topologies and transport protocols, providing flexible deployment options to suit different applications. While SCSI supports only dedicated point-to-point connections, Fibre Channel can be configured using point-to-point, loop and switched fabric topologies.

Point-to-point. The simplest storage topology, point-to-point employs a direct connection between the disk array and the host computer. With two Fibre Channel ports, Xserve RAID offers point-to-point connectivity for up to two host systems. Each host has independent access to a RAID set of up to seven drives.

Loop. This topology employs a Fibre Channel hub to connect multiple servers and storage devices. The 2GB/s Fibre Channel bandwidth is shared among all devices connected to the hub. Only two systems can communicate with one another at the same time.

Switched fabric. Similar to an Ethernet infrastructure, this storage topology uses Fibre Channel switches to connect multiple disk arrays and devices. A switched fabric is the most flexible topology, because it allows all the connected servers and storage devices to communicate with one another simultaneously — without sharing bandwidth.