Can I add more Brocade 10-port 8Gb SAN Switch Module to my IBM BladeCenter H

[vsargento]

Hello All

I have a Bladecenter H with a Brocade 10-port 8Gb SAN Switch Module (44X1921), and I need more FC ports available to connect a new rack server.

My IBM Bladecenter H has a MSIM installed in bays 7 and 8 of the BladeCenter H chassis, each one with a ethernet card, and one slot available.

Can I add 2 more Brocade 10-port 8Gb SAN Switch Module (44X1921), in that empty slots and gain more FC connections?

Thanks in advance

[Martin.Sjölin]

Hi,

when checking out the SG247523 found at link below, it looks like only 2 FC I/O modules are supported (PDF page 68 - section 2.2.2)

www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/pdfs/sg247523.pdf

"Bays 3 and 4 can be used either for standard switch or pass-through modules (such as

Fibre Channel connectivity or extra Ethernet ports) or for bridge modules. These bays are

routed internally to the PCI-X connector on the blades..."

[vsargento]

Hi Martin

So there´s no way of adding extra FC connections on this Bladecenter. 

You mention that the bays 3 or 4 can become pass-through modules, so if I install two extra FC Cards, and an external FC Switch, for example the Brocade 300 (BR-340-B-0008) I can add two more storage units for example?

Thanks for all the help.

[Martin.Sjölin]

Hi,

I just went back to some othe documentation and FC switch modules are supported in Bay 3,4, and 7,9 - I think when decoding IBM documentation. Baye 3 and 4 surely supports 44X1921/20. I am not a Bladecenter expert, but the Bladecenter H supports up to 4 FC switch modules. 

One options is connect a 300 switch to your bladecenter existing FC connections and then move those original fibre to the 300.

[Martin.Sjölin]

nice overview at

https://lenovopress.com/tips0996-bladecenter-h#supported-i-o-modules

so FC module to bay 3 and 4, and also to bay 9 and 10 (with extra conditions).