Maintenance Information for Fiber Optic Links (FICON/FCP, Coupling Links, and Open Systems Adapters)

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SY27-7698-00

This publication provides information that can be used to plan for IBM Fiber Optic Links. It includes coupling links, Open Systems Adapter (OSA), and Fiber Connection (FICON), which is IBM's implementation of the ANSI Fibre Channel Standard with additional support for multiple-mode fibers. Although it contains general information relating to fiber optic cables, components, and optical fiber data processing environments, it includes only what is supported for these fiber optic links.

This publication provides problem determination, verification, and repair procedures for IBM® fiber optic channel links. This designation includes:

  • IBM coupling facility channels (ISC, 1x IFB, 12x IFB, x24 ICA)
  • Fibre Channel Connection (FICON®) including: 2G, 4G, 8G, 16G Ficon SX and 2G, 4G, 8G, 16G Ficon LX links
  • Fiber optic interfaces for Open Systems Adapters (OSA), including: 1G and 10G Enet
  • Fiber optic interfaces for zHyperLinks (x8 PCIe)

Although this publication covers fiber optic cable types and environments in general, the specific information includes only what is supported for IBM fiber optic channel links. Although the ANSI Fibre Channel Standard does not include the use of long wavelength (1300 nm) lasers on multi-mode fiber, IBM zSystems and LinuxONE does support this combination.

A technical change to the text or illustration is indicated by a vertical line to the left of the change.

Note: This publication, along with the publication Planning for Fiber Optic Links, GA23-1409, replaces the publication IBM 3044 Fiber-Optic Channel Extender Link Models C02 and D02: Fiber-Optic Cable Planning, Installation, and Maintenance Guide, GC22-7130, and makes it obsolete.

This publication is available for download here.