IBM Storage Networking 
SAN96C‑6
illustration showing a person accessing data on a dashboard across a secure, multicloud environment
Technical specifications

General characteristics

Fibre Channel ports

• Fixed-switch form factor with 48 SFP+ ports base
• Entry-level 24-port preactivated base model with
flexibility to turn on any 24 ports
• Incremental ports
⚬ 8-ports upgrade license offers the option of upgrading to
32, 40, and 48 ports

Security

• VSAN fabric isolation
• Intelligent packet inspection at port level
• Hardware zoning by Access Control Lists (ACLs)
• Fibre Channel Security Protocol (FC-SP) switch-to-switch authentication
• FC-SP host-to-switch authentication
• Role-based access control (RBAC) using RADIUS, TACACS+, or Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) functions
• Secure FTP (SFTP)
• Secure Shell Protocol Version 2 (SSHv2)
• Simple Network Management Protocol Version 3 (SNMPv3) implementing Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
• Control-plane security
• TrustSec payload encryption
• Secure Boot and Anti-counterfeit technology

Performance

• Port speed: 4, 8, 16, and 32 Gbps autosensing with 32 Gbps of dedicated bandwidth per port
• Aggregate bandwidth of 1.5 Tbps end-to-end full duplex
• Buffer credits: Up to 8300 for a group of 16 ports, with a default of 500 buffer credits per port and a maximum of 8270 buffer credits for a single port in the group
• Port groups: 3 port groups of 16 ports each
• Port channel: Up to 16 load-balanced physical links grouped in one port channel

Diagnostics

• Power-On-Self-Test (POST) diagnostics
• Online Health Management System (OHMS) diagnostics
• Internal loopbacks
• SPAN
• Fibre Channel traceroute
• Fibre Channel ping
• Fibre Channel debug
• IBM Fabric Analyzer
• Syslog
• Port-level statistics
• Link diagnostics (E-port and F-port links)
• Read Diagnostic Parameter

Serviceability

• Configuration file management
• Call Home
• Port beaconing
• Link cable beacon
• System LEDs
• SNMP traps for alerts

Reliability and availability

• Hot-swappable, dual redundant power supplies
• Hotswappable fan tray with switch integrated temperature and power management
• Hot-swappable SFP+ optics
• Stateful process restart
• Any port configuration for port channels
• Fabric-based multipathing
• Per-VSAN fabric services
• Port tracking
• Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) for management IP interface
• FEC with HBA ports
• Buffer-to-buffer state change notification with
HBA ports

Protocols

• Fibre Channel standards
• FC-PH, Revision 4.3 (ANSI INCITS 230-1994)
• FC-PH, Amendment 1 (ANSI INCITS 230-1994/AM1-1996)
• FC-PH, Amendment 2 (ANSI INCITS 230-1994/AM2-1999)
• FC-PH-2, Revision 7.4 (ANSI INCITS 297-1997)
• FC-PH-3, Revision 9.4 (ANSI INCITS 303-1998)
• FC-PI, Revision 13 (ANSI INCITS 352-2002)
• FC-PI-2, Revision 10 (ANSI INCITS 404-2006)
• FC-PI-3, Revision 4 (ANSI INCITS 460-2011)
• FC-PI-4, Revision 8(ANSI INCITS 450-2008)
• FC-PI-5, Revision 6 (ANSI INCITS 479-2011)
• FC-PI-6 (ANSI INCITS 512-2015)
• FC-FS, Revision 1.9 (ANSI INCITS 373-2003)
• FC-FS-2, Revision 1.01 (ANSI INCITS 424-2007)
• FC-FS-2, Amendment 1 (ANSI INCITS 424-2007/AM1-2007)
• FC-FS-3, Revision 1.11 (ANSI INCITS 470-2011)
• FC-FS-4
• FC-LS, Revision 1.62 (ANSI INCITS 433-2007)
• FC-LS-2, Revision 2.21(ANSI INCITS 477-2011)
• FC-LS-3, Includes revision 3.53
• FC-SW-2, Revision 5.3 (ANSI INCITS 355-2001)
• FC-SW-3, Revision 6.6 (ANSI INCITS 384-2004)
• FC-SW-4, Revision 7.5 (ANSI INCITS 418-2006)
• FC-SW-5, Revision 8.5 (ANSI INCITS 461-2010)
• FC-SW-6
• FC-GS-3, Revision 7.01 (ANSI INCITS 348-2001)
• FC-GS-4, Revision 7.91 (ANSI INCITS 387-2004)
• FC-GS-5, Revision 8.51 (ANSI INCITS 427-2007)
• FC-GS-6, Revision 9.4 (ANSI INCITS 463-2010)
• FC-GS-7, Includes revision 10.8
• FCP, Revision 12 (ANSI INCITS 269-1996)
• FCP-2, Revision 8 (ANSI INCITS 350-2003)
• FCP-3, Revision 4 (ANSI INCITS 416-2006)
• FCP-4, Revision 2b (ANSI INCITS 481-2011)
• FC-SB-2, Revision 2.1 (ANSI INCITS 349-2001)
• FC-SB-3, Revision 1.6 (ANSI INCITS 374-2003)
• FC-SB-3, Amendment 1 (ANSI INCITS 374-2003/AM1-2007)
• FCSB-4, Revision 3.0 (ANSI INCITS 466-2011)
• FC-SB-5, Revision 2.00 (ANSI INCITS 485-2014)
• FC-BB-6, Revision 2.00 (ANSI INCITS 509-2014)
• FC-BB-2, Revision 6.0(ANSI INCITS 372-2003)
• FC-BB-3, Revision 6.8 (ANSI INCITS 414-2006)
• FC-BB-4, Revision 2.7 (ANSI INCITS 419-2008)
• FC-BB-5, Revision 2.0 (ANSI INCITS 462-2010)
• FC-VI, Revision 1.84 (ANSI INCITS 357-2002)
• FC-SP, Revision 1.8 (ANSI INCITS 426-2007)
• FC-SP-2, Revision 2.71 (ANSI INCITS 496-2012)
• FAIS, Revision 1.03 (ANSI INCITS 432-2007)
• FAIS-2, Revision 2.23 (ANSI INCITS 449-2008)
• FC-IFR, Revision 1.06 (ANSI INCITS 475-2011)
• FC-FLA, Revision 2.7 (INCITS TR-20-1998)
• FC-PLDA, Revision 2.1 (INCITS TR-19-1998)
• FC-Tape, Revision 1.17 (INCITS TR-24-1999)
• FC-MI, Revision 1.92 (INCITS TR-30-2002)
• FC-MI-2, Revision 2.6 (INCITS TR-39-2005)
• FC-MI-3, Revision 1.03 (INCITS TR-48-2012)
• FC-DA, Revision 3.1 (INCITS TR-36-2004)
• FC-DA-2, Revision 1.06 (INCITS TR-49-2012)
• FC-MSQS, Revision 3.2 (INCITS TR-46-2011)
• Fibre Channel classes of service: Class 2, Class 3, and Class F
• Fibre Channel standard port types: E, F, and B
• Fibre Channel enhanced port types: SD, ST, and TE
• FC-NVMe
• In-band management using IP over Fibre Channel (RFC 2625)
• IPv6, IPv4, and Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) over Fibre Channel (RFC 4338)
• Extensive IETF-standardsbased TCP/IP, Simple Network Management Protocol Version 3 (SNMPv3), and Remote Monitoring (RMON) MIBs

Network management

• Management access through 2 out-of-band Ethernet ports ⚬ mgmt0: 10/100/1000BASE-T port ⚬ mgmt1: 1/10G SFP+ port#
• RS-232 serial console port
• USB power-on auto-provision port
• Access protocols
• Command-Line Interface (CLI) using the console and Ethernet port
• SNMPv3 using the Ethernet port and inband IP over Fibre Channel access
• Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA)
• Storage Management Initiative Specification (SMI-S)
• NX-API for REST
• Full access through HTTPS REST
• Distributed device alias service
• Network security
• Per-VSAN RBAC using LDAP, RADIUS, and TACACS+-based AAA functions
• Simple File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)
• SSHv2 implementing AES
• SNMPv3 implementing AES
• Data Center Network Manager (DCNM)

Programming interfaces

• Scriptable CLI
• DCNM web services API
• NX-API RESTful interfaces
• Onboard Python interpreter
• Embedded Event Manager (EEM)
• NX-OS Software scheduler

Physical dimensions (H x W x D) and weight

• 1 Rack Unit (1RU) (1.72 x 17.3 x 22.3 in. [4.37 x 43/9 x 56.6 cm])
excluding Power Supply Unit (PSU) and fantray handles
• 16.7 lb. (8.5 kg)

Power

• 80 Plus Platinum certified power supplies
• Power supply options ⚬ 650W AC in base model, port-side
exhaust variant (2 per switch) ⚬ 650W AC in base
model, port-side intake variant (2 per switch)
• Power cord ⚬ IEC60320 C14 plug on 650W power supply
connecting to a notched C15 socket connector
• AC input: 100 to 240 VAC (10% range)
• Frequency: 50 to 60 Hz (nominal)
• Typical power consumption ⚬ 217W for Idle
48-Port switch without optics modules ⚬ 251W for 48-
Port switch with 24 32G SW optics modules under typical
conditions ⚬ 297W for 48-Port switch with 48 32G SW
optics modules under typical conditions
• Airflow ⚬ Back to front (toward ports) using port-side exhaust
fans ⚬ Front to back (inward from ports) using portside
intake fans ⚬ 50 Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM)
through system fan assembly at 77°F (25°C) ⚬ 100
CFM maximum

Temperature range

• Temperature, ambient operating: ⚬ 32 to 104°F (0 to 40°C) with port-side exhaust
and intake airflow variants
• Temperature, ambient nonoperating and storage: –40 to 158°F (–40 to 70°C)
• Relative humidity, ambient (noncondensing) operating: 10 to 90%
• Relative humidity, ambient (noncondensing) nonoperating and storage: 10 to 95%
• Altitude, operating: –197 to 6500 ft (–60 to 2000m)

Approvals and compliance

• Safety compliance• CE Marking
• UL 60950
• CAN/CSAC22.2 No. 60950
• EN 60950• IEC 60950
• TS 001
• AS/NZS 3260
• IEC60825
• EN60825
• 21 CFR 1040
• EMC compliance
• FCC Part 15 (CFR 47) Class A
• ICES-003 Class A
• EN 55022 Class A
• CISPR 22 Class A
• AS/NZS 3548 Class A
• VCCI Class A
• EN 55024
• EN 50082-1
• EN 61000-6-1
• EN 61000-3-2
• EN 61000-3-3

Fabric services

• Name server
• Registered State Change Notification (RSCN)
• Login services
• Fabric Configuration Server (FCS)
• Broadcast
• In-order delivery

Advanced function

• VSAN
• IVR
• Port Channel with multipath load balancing
• Flow- and zone-based QoS

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