Chapter 3. Connectivity 157
Figure 3-37 CF channels I/O structure
Figure 3-37 is a z900 I/O structure diagram, showing the possible types of CF connections.
All PUs, Memory cards, and MBAs are connected to Storage Control (SC) and Storage Data
(SD) cards. The SC and SD cards are connected to each other between Processor Sets.
The IC-3 links have the shortest path length since they are internal links within the same
server.
ICB-3 Peer channels are directly connected to the 2 GBps STI connection of the MBA.
The ICB Compatibility channel path goes through the STI-H card that converts a single
1 GBps STI to four 333 MBps STIs. ICB Compatibility channels are used to connect to the
G5/G6 servers which have STI speeds of 333 MBps.
The ISC-3 link path needs to go further, passing to the STI-M card that converts one (1 GBps)
STI to four (333 MBps or 500 MBps) STIs, then to the ISC-3 mother card, where up to four
ISC-3 links are plugged in. Using single-mode fiber, ISC-3 links can go up to 10 km, or up to
*20 km with a Request For Quotation (RPQ).
3.10 HiperSockets
HiperSockets provides the fastest TCP/IP communication between consolidated Linux, z/VM
and z/OS virtual servers on a z900 server. HiperSockets provides up to four internal “virtual”
Local Area Networks which act like TCP/IP networks within the z900 server. This integrated
z900 Licensed Internal Code function, coupled with supporting operating system device
drivers, establishes a higher level of network availability, security, simplicity, performance, and
cost effectiveness than is available when connecting single servers or LPARs together using
an external TCP/IP network.
ICB
ISC
MBA MBA
SC/SD
PUs
MBA MBA
SC/SD
PUs
STI-M
Memory
Memory
STI
MBAMBA
SC/SD
PUs
MBAMBA
SC/SD
PUs
Memory
Memory
STI
10km (
*20km RPQ)
10 meter cable
...
IC Channel
Internal
ISC-3
Mother
STI-M
ISC-3
Daughter
ISC-3
Daughter
ISC-3
Mother
STI-M
Channels
... ... ...
... ... ...
STI-M
Channels
STI-H card
ICB only
7 meters
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