Device overview

Key product features for this device include the following:

  • Redundant and hot-swappable SFP+, SFP28, QSFP+, and QSFP56 transceivers; port, extension, control processor (CP), and core routing (CR) blades; power supply assemblies, fan assemblies, and WWN cards that enable a high-availability platform and allow nondisruptive software upgrades for mission-critical SAN applications.
  • Support for the following features when using the FC32-64 blade:
    • Up to 16 QSFP ports on each FC32-64 port blade that provide 4x32Gb/s, 4x16Gb/s, 4x8Gb/s, 4x4Gb/s, 4x25GbE, or 40GbE operation. Port speeds for 4x32Gb/s transceivers can auto-negotiate between 4x32Gb/s and 4x16Gb/s. Port speeds for 4x16Gb/s transceivers can auto-negotiate between 4x16Gb/s, 4x8Gb/s, and 4x4Gb/s.
    • Flexport technology that allows you to configure each of the 16 QSFP ports on a blade for FC operation or Ethernet operation for FCoE connections. For details on supported transceivers and speeds, see Supported Transceivers and Cables.
    • Up to four blades and all FC transceivers installed, up to 256 32Gb/s external ports are possible in a single chassis, enabling high-density SAN configurations with a reduced footprint.
    • Trunking technology that allows groups of up to eight ports to create high-performance 256Gb/s ISL trunks between switches using 32Gb/s ports.

  • Support for the following features when using the FC64-48 blade:

    • Port blade with 48 front-end 64Gb/s FC SFP+ ports with the edge switch interconnect to the core blades.
    • Supported SFPs include 10Gb/s, 32Gb/s, and 64Gb/s FC.
    • Support for 48 Fibre Channel ports on each FC64-48 port blade that provide 64Gb/s, 32Gb/s, 16Gb/s, 10Gb/s, and 8Gb/s. The 10Gb/s transceivers can be used for any port on the FC64-48 port blades. Note that 10Gb/s transceivers on the FC64-48 and SX6 blade are not interchangeable. For details on supported transceivers and speeds, see Supported Transceivers and Cables. 
    • Trunking technology groups up to eight ports to create high-performance 512Gb/s ISL trunks between switches using 64Gb/s ports.
  • Support for the following features when using the FC32-X7-48 blade:
    • Port blade with 48 front-end 32Gb/s FC SFP+ ports.
    • Supported SFPs include 32Gb/s, 16Gb/s, and 10Gb/s FC.
    • Support for 48 Fibre Channel ports on each FC32-X7-48 port blade that provide 32Gb/s, 16Gb/s, 10Gb/s, 8Gb/s, and 4Gb/s. The 10Gb/s transceivers can be used for any port on the FC32-X7-48 port blades. Note that 10Gb/s transceivers on the FC32-X7-48 and SX6 blade are not interchangeable. For details on supported transceivers and speeds, see Supported Transceivers and Cables.
    • Trunking technology groups up to eight ports to create high-performance 256Gb/s ISL trunks between switches using 32Gb/s ports.
  • Support for the following features when using the SX6 Blade:
    • Support for 16 Fibre Channel ports supporting 4, 8, 16, and 32Gb/s.
    • 16GbE ports supporting 1 or 10Gb/s.
    • Two GbE ports supporting 40Gb/s on SX6 extension blades.
    Note: Note that 10Gb/s transceivers on the FC64-48 and the FC32-X7-48 are not interchangeable with the Brocade SX6 Blade. For details on supported transceivers and speeds, see Supported Transceivers and Cables.
  • Considerations for the Brocade SX6 Blade:
    • The SX6 extension blades perform as extension platforms to support Fibre Channel (FC) and FICON data flows and IP-based storage data flows over an IP WAN.
    • Universal ports that self-configure as E_Ports, F_Ports, EX_Ports, M_Ports (mirror ports), and FICON ports. Note that the 10Gb/s ports on the FC64-48 and FC32-X7-48 port blades can function as E_Ports only.
    • ClearLink® Diagnostic port (D_Port) functionality on Fibre Channel ports.
    • Data compression capabilities through the port blades when ports are configured as ISLs.