Hi all

Up to now we’ve always successfully used Brocade 200E, 8 or 16 port, also because these are the only FC switches well documented in the TR3548 (Metrocluster Design and Implementation Guide). In that doc you can find also the correct cabling schema from shelves/heads to the correct port of switched. And in my experience it seems that MC software in Data Ontap seems to be stricly linked to the Brocade: if you wrong a cabling the system will warn you!

Anyway I’ve read other docs where other model and/or vendors are cited as supported FC switches in a FMC config. McData, Cisco, other Brocade models and so on.

Is someone there able to give me the right path on where to find documentation on how to cable/connect/use other switched than the 200E?

The question comes because we’re planning an extende FMC with DWDM switches and other appliances from Cisco and we could save a lot money (in connecting MC switches to DWDM devices…) using i.e. a superior Brocade model or a Cisco MDS.

And again, what’s about “dark side” of the fiber (not of the moon J). Apart the TR3552 on theory (and some practice) of optical network I was not able to found a doc/guide on, simplifying….

 “where I need to link the LC/LC patch that comes from my MC switch? On which model/brand? What I’ve to ask to communication expert on the existing dark fiber and, over all, what I’ve to expect from him/her?”

Thanks a lot

PS) I’ve also tried to ask this at Prague NetApp Insight 2008 but I’ve got only…rumors…nothing concrete J