You have tremendous flexibility with those platforms. You can go with a single X2043A per filer and daisy chain the busses on the QIP at the Gator, or you can use the X2045A to connect to both FC ports for HA. You can direct connect or go through a fibre switch. In fact, NetApp just announced their OSN FC fabric tape b/u solutions:

Press release: http://www.netapp.com/news/press/2001/news_rel_20010508b.html

Spectra Logic solution/requirements: http://www.netapp.com/osn/info/gbe/spectralogic.html

According to the documentation in the second link, you can only connect a single FC port from the F-QIP in the certified solution. However, you don't have to go with the OSN FC fabric solution. There are other certified solutions, such as the old Gold solution with the Vixel 8100 or direct connect (as I mentioned above).

Some considerations: - with current AIT-2 specs you can fully occupy 4 drives (62.4MB/sec compressed total) with a single FC connection at 100MB/sec. However, if you should upgrade to AIT-3 (due out this summer/fall; 124.8MB/sec compressed total), then you will need to connect to both FC ports on the F-QIP to keep the drives busy - AIT advantages vs. DLT: 1. investment protection/backwards compatibility/future development path through AIT-6 (biggest differentiator in my estimation) 2. price/performance 3. density 4. MIC 5. slower media speed ==> less wear & tear; faster/more accurate seeks; better MTBF

I'm a sales guy (and therefore obviously biased), but I can sell either one and make the same money off both.

HTH. Happy to elaborate on anything. Joe

Joe Luchtenberg Dataline, Inc. 757.858.0600 757.285.1223 (cell) 757.858.0606 (fax) joe.luchtenberg@data-line.com www.data-line.com

-----Original Message----- From: Don Hickey [mailto:don.hickey@rebel.com] Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2001 2:18 PM To: Collie Michael Cc: toasters@mathworks.com Subject: Re: Connecting a spectralogic Gator Tape Library to an 840

I'm also looking at a Gator library (the 64000 to be exact). I would like 4 drives connected to each filer in a cluster (F840c - 8 drives total). Would one X2043A (per filer) be enough? Would I require the X2045A?

As well are these direct connect fiber or do I need a fiber switch as well?

Does anyone have any comments regarding the AIT vs DLT technologies?

Thanks!!

"Collie, Michael" wrote:

...

The supported Fibre Channel HBAs for the F840 are as follows:

Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapters: Qlogic X2043A (optical) Qlogic X2045A (2 channel optical) Qlogic X2041A (copper)

One F-QIP card in the Spectra 12000 can control 4 drives.

In this case, you will need only one X2043A (assuming you want optical) HBA connected to that F-QIP. If you have more than 4 drives in the library then your options are the X2045A or X2043A.

...

Michael.

-----Original Message----- From: Manny Kaiser [mailto:mkaiser@mmcnet.com] Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 10:14 AM To: toasters@mathworks.com Subject: Connecting a spectralogic Gator Tape Library to an 840

Hi,

Can someone specify the exact card number I need to order

in order to

...

connect a Spectralogic Gator 12000 tape library directly

(not through a

...

switch) to a Netapp 840. I have two cards on the library,

can I have two

...

cards on the netapp? or can I have a dual card on the netapp? One additional bit of info, the library and netapp are about 50 meters apart.

Thanks