HP StorageWorks Fabric OS 5.X Master Glossary (AA-RW7NA-TE, September 2005)

FCS Fibre Channel switch; also called fabric configuration ser ver. Relates to the
Secure Fabric OS feature. One or more designated switches tha t store and
manage security parameters and configuration data for all switches in the
fabric. The designated switches also a ct as a set of backup switches to the
primary FCS switch.
See also backbone fabric and primary FCS.
FC-SW-2 The second-generation Fi bre Channel Switch Fabric standard defined by ANSI.
Specifies tools and algorithms for the interconnection and initialization of Fibre
Channel switches to create a multiswitch Fibre Channel fabric.
FDDI Fibre Distributed Data Inter face. An ANSI architecture for a metropolitan area
network (MAN); a network based on the use of fiber-optic cable to transmit
data at 100 Mbps.
FDMI Fabric-Device Management Interface. FDMI is a database service provided by
the fabric for Nx_Ports. P rimarily used by HBA devices that register information
about themselves and their ports.
FFFFF5 Well-known Fibre Channel address for a Class 6 multicast server.
FFFFF6 Well-known Fibre Channel address for a clock synchronization server.
FFFFF7 Well-known Fibre Channel address for a security key distribution server.
FFFFF8 Well-known Fibre Channel address for an alias server.
FFFFF9 Well-known Fibre Channel ad dress for a Q oS facilitator.
FFFFFA Well-known Fibre Channel address for a management server.
FFFFFB Well-known Fibre Channel address for a time server.
FFFFFC Well-known Fibre Channel address for a directory server.
FFFFFD Well-known Fibre Channel address for a fabric controller.
FFFFFE Well-known Fibre Channel ad dress for a fabric F_Port.
FFFFFF Well-known Fibre Channel address for a broadcast alias ID.
Fibre Channel The primary protocol used for building SANs to transmit data bet ween servers,
switches, and storage devic es. Unlike I P and Ethernet, Fibre Channel was
designed to suppor t the needs of storage devices of all types. It is a high-speed,
serial, bidirectional, topology-independent, multi-protocol, and highly scalable
interconnection between computers, peripherals, and networks.
Fibre Channel
transpor t
A protocol service that supports com munication between Fibre Cha nnel service
providers.
See also FSP.
FICON FIbre CONnectivity. A protocol used on IBM mainframes. Based on the Fibre
Channel standard, it boosts the transfer rate of ESCON’s half-duplex 17 MBps
to a full-duplex 100 MBps. FICON support enables a fabric to transmit FICON
format d a ta between FICON-capable servers and storage.
See ESCON.
FID Fabric ID. Unique identifier of a fabric in a meta-SAN.
FIFO First in, first out. A storage metho d that retrieves the item stored for the longest
time.
fill word An IDLE- or ARB-ordered set that is transmitted during breaks between data
frames to keep the Fibre Channel link active.
See also ARB.
Fabric OS 5.x master glossary
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