Description Compaq's new 8 port and 16 port Fiber Channel SAN switches represent the next generation of switching products for Storage Area Networks. These products enable enterprise class scalability and high performance connectivity between servers and StorageWorks RA8000 and ESA12000 storage systems. With improved hardware and software design and new functionality these switches form one of the cornerstones of Compaq's strategy for deploying SAN's and realizing the ENSA vision. The new switch products come in either an 8-port or 16-port model. Both models support new Universal ports which self configure to the type of device attached to them and automatically detect a fabric-attached device, a switch-to-switch connection or an arbitrated loop attached device. Both models use a common power supply and both models can be configured with redundant power supplies as options. A new version of the Fabric Operating System that provides backward compatibility between current Fibre Channel switches and the new models is included with the new switches. As with the current switches, both new switches include Compaq's WEB Based Management for ease of operation, as well as support for SNMP and a command line interface for additional management functionality.
