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Fabric Watch User’s Guide Glossary-5
FC-SW-2
The second generation of the Fibre Channel Switch Fabric standard defined by
ANSI. Specifies tools and algorithms for the interconnection and initialization of
fibre channel switches in order to create a multi-switch fibre channel fabric.
Fibre Channel
Transport
A protocol service that supports communication between fibre channel service
providers. See also FSP.
Fill Word
An IDLE or ARB ordered set that is transmitted during breaks between data
frames to keep the fibre channel link active.
Firmware
The basic operating system provided with the hardware.
FL_Port
Fabric Loop Port; a port that is able to transmit under fabric protocol and also has
arbitrated loop capabilities. Can be used to connect an NL_Port to a switch. See
also F_Port, Fx_Port.
FLOGI
Fabric Login; the process by which an N_Port determines whether a fabric is
present, and if so, exchanges service parameters with it. See also PLOGI.
Frame
The fibre channel structure used to transmit data between ports. Consists of a
start-of-frame delimiter, header, any optional headers, the data payload, a cyclic
redundancy check (CRC), and an end-of-frame delimiter. There are two types of
frames: Link control frames (transmission acknowledgements, etc.) and data
frames.
FRU
Field-replaceable Unit; a component that can be replaced on site.
FS
Fibre Channel Service; a service that is defined by fibre channel standards and
exists at a well-known address. For example, the Simple Name Server is a fibre
channel service. See also FSP.
FSP
Fibre Channel Service Protocol; the common protocol for all fabric services,
transparent to the fabric type or topology. See also FS.
FSPF
Fabric Shortest Path First; Brocade’s routing protocol for fibre channel switches.
Full-duplex
A mode of communication that allows the same port to simultaneously transmit
and receive frames. See also Half-duplex.
Fx_Port
A fabric port that can operate as either an F_Port or FL_Port. See also F_Port,
FL_Port.
G_Port
Generic Port; a port that can operate as either an E_Port or F_Port. A port is
defined as a G_Port when it is not yet connected or has not yet assumed a specific
function in the fabric.
GBIC
Gigabit Interface Converter; a removable serial transceiver module that allows
gigabaud physical-level transport for fibre channel and gigabit ethernet.
Gbps
Gigabits per second (1,062,500,000 bits/second).
GBps
GigaBytes per second (1,062,500,000 bytes/second).
Half-duplex
A mode of communication that allows a port to either transmit or receive frames
at any time, but not simultaneously (with the exception of link control frames,
which can be transmitted at any time). See also Full-duplex.
Hard Address
The AL_PA that an NL_Port attempts to acquire during loop initialization.
HBA
Host Bus Adapter; the interface card between a server or workstation bus and the
fibre channel network.