Director Firmware - HP Surestore 64 - Director Switch Planning Manual

Director Firmware

Director firmware provides services that manage and maintain Fibre Channel connections
between ports. Although director hardware transmits Fibre Channel frames between
source and destination ports, the firmware maintains routing tables required by the
hardware to perform these switching functions. Director firmware also provides functions
for system configuration, control, maintenance, and redundancy management, including:
•
System Management Services
This function configures, controls, and monitors director operation. The subsystem:
– Centrally manages all configuration and status information.
– Implements a simple network management protocol (SNMP) agent to allow access
by external SNMP managers using the Fibre Channel Fabric Element management
information base (MIB), standard transmission control protocol/internet protocol
(TCP/IP) MIB-II definition, or director-specific MIB.
– Manages network connections from the HP EFC Server.
•
Fabric Services
This function supports the fabric controller (login server) and name server. Fabric
services also implements a replication manager that synchronizes node port (N_Port)
registration databases between redundant control processor (CTP) cards and allows
transparent CTP failover.
•
Fibre Port Services
This function provides a physical driver for hardware components, including Fibre
Channel port module (FPM) cards and serial crossbar (SBAR) assemblies.
•
Fibre Channel Protocol Services
This function provides the Fibre Channel transport logic that allows upper layer
protocols used by fabric services to communicate with devices attached to fiber-optic
ports.
32 Director Firmware