SFP+ is only the form-factor of the interface slot.
Ethernet and Fibrechannel are different protocols. Fibrechannel is not supported on 2930 switches.
Fiberchannel encapsulated in a Ethernet frame is called Fiberchannel of ethernet (FCoE), but than its just a ethernet packet with ethernet SFP+ modules.
For Fiberchannel connectivity to a Fiberchannel HBA interface (4/8/16GB) you need a storage switch like Brocade Fabrics.
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Marcel Koedijk | MVP Guru 2021 | ACEP | ACMP | ACCP | ACDP | Ekahau ECSE | Not an HPE Employee | Opionions are my own
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Original Message:
Sent: Jul 14, 2021 08:08 AM
From: Davide Poletto
Subject: 2930F Fibre Channel shows as down, really confused
Aruba 2930F handles SFP (1Gbps) and SFP+ (1/10Gbps) based ETHERNET Transceivers, it simply doesn't handle FibreChannel (FC) SFP Transceivers.
In order to use FC Transceivers (scenarios: (a) Server <- DA -> Storage or (b) Server <--> SAN <--> Storage) you need to provide your Server's HBA FC ports (a) an indirect connectivity to your Storage via a Storage Area Network (SAN) Switch capable of 4, 8 or 16 Gbps (SFP form factor) on its ports or (b) a direct connectivity to your Storage in case of a Direct Attach (DA) between your Server and your Storage using theirs HBAs.
For the sake of simplicity, SFP Transceiver's form factor = SFP+ Transceiver's form factor BUT the FC Transceivers AREN'T supported on standard Ethernet Switches such as the Aruba 2930F (and vice-versa: the Ethernet Transceivers aren't supported on FC SAN Switches).
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Davide Poletto
Original Message:
Sent: Jul 13, 2021 04:37 PM
From: Nathan Platt
Subject: 2930F Fibre Channel shows as down, really confused
Okay so I'm confused, if the switch has 4 spf+ ports why can't it handle spf+?
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Nathan Platt
Original Message:
Sent: Jul 13, 2021 03:26 PM
From: Davide Poletto
Subject: 2930F Fibre Channel shows as down, really confused
Hello Nathan, despite SFP form factor of a 4/8/16 FC (FibreChannel) Transceiver form factor is equal to the 1/10/25 (Ethernet) Transceiver form factors (SFP/SFP+) the Aruba 2930M SFP/SFP+ slots are not capable of handling FC Transceivers...in other terms no FCoE (FibreChannel over Ethernet) can be done on Aruba 2930F.
Only particular Datacenter switches can handle FCoE (with proper FC Transceivers installed).
That's to say that you can't connect an HPE ProLiant DL360 Gen 9 Server's HBA FC 8 Gbps ports (FibreChannel) on a Ethernet Switch, no matter that switch supports the SFP/SFP+ form factors for Ethernet Transceivers (or DACs).
For sure you can instead connect the HPE ProLiant DL360 Gen 9 Server's Ethernet Interfaces (motherboard ports or additional Ethernet Card ports) to the Aruba 2930F...the HBA ports go to SAN Fabric (if any) or directly to Storage HBA ports in case of direct attachment.
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Davide Poletto
Original Message:
Sent: Jul 13, 2021 03:07 PM
From: Nathan Platt
Subject: 2930F Fibre Channel shows as down, really confused
Hi Everyone,
I have two 2930f connected via fibre channel to a DL360 Gen9 server (2 Qlogic FC HBA cards Single Port 8GB), i've attached them using a Aruba 10GB SPF+ DAC cable that the switch reconsises as genuine but I can't get them to connect.
The server is running almalinux (centos 8 downstream), any ideas how i can get them to work, i'm new to FC so assume the worse.
Thanks
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Nathan Platt
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