IBM SSA 4-Port Adapter for RISC System/6000 July 25, 1995 Announcement Number: 195-236 Document's Table of Contents: * Abstract * DESCRIPTION * PUBLICATIONS * TECHNICAL INFORMATION * TERMS AND CONDITIONS * CHARGES Abstract In Brief . . . The SSA 4-Port Adapter enables attachment of SSA technology disks and subsystemsfileh: * Streaming data transfer at 40MB/sec or 80MB/sec * Four SSA ports configurable as two external loops * Superior performance over the existing IBM High Performance Disk Drive Subsystem Adapter * Support for up to 3,000 I/O operations/sec * Load balancing on loop configurations * Micro Channel Type 5 form factor card ---------------------------------------- The IBM SSA 4-Port Adapter is a high-performance, high-connectivity adapter that conforms to the Serial Storage Architecture (SSA). The adapter, a Micro Channel(R) bus master, is capable of streaming data transfers at 40MB or 80MB/sec. The SSA 4-Port Adapter provides a cost-effective solution for packaging large numbers of disk drives. It provides four serial ports, operating as two pairs, for attaching storage devices to RISC System/6000(R) systems that support the Micro Channel bus. The adapter provides two pairs of serial ports to attach storage devices, such as hard disk drives. Each of the two pairs of SSA ports can attach up to 48 devices (96 devices per adapter) in a closed loop, giving you enhanced connectivity and performance, and increased port availability. The SSA 4-Port Adapter is supported by AIX/6000(R) Version 3.2.5. Purchase Price: $1,370 Planned Availability Date: August 11, 1995 (R) Registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation DESCRIPTION SSA Ports The SSA 4-Port Adapter provides two pairs of serial ports for the attachment of storage devices, such as hard disk drives. The serial ports conform to SSA Level 1. Each port operates at 20MB/sec full duplex, using point-to-point copper cables up to 25 meters long. Transmissions to several destinations are multiplexed, and the effective bandwidth is further increased by spatial reuse of the individual links. This means that disk commands to a disk in a subsystem are forwarded automatically from disk to disk on the loop until the target disk receives the command. While this is occurring, another disk command can be issued before any acknowledgement is received. SSA is a proposed industry standard interface that retains the SCSI-2 commands, queuing model, status, and sense bytes. Each of the two pairs of SSA ports can attach up to 48 dual-port devices in a closed loop. If the loop is broken by a fault, the two ports continue to access the devices using the remaining connections as a string. However, it is not intended that the devices should be initially configured as a string. These features support fault-tolerant applications. Micro Channel Interface The adapter is a Micro Channel Bus Master capable of streaming data transfers at 40MB or 80MB/sec. PRODUCT POSITIONING The SSA 4-Port Adapter enables attachment of IBM 7133 SSA Disk Subsystems to many RISC System/6000 systems. This capability provides increased performance and greater capacity for online data storage than the existing IBM High Performance Disk Drive Subsystem Adapter (#6212). Some of the more important benefits to be gained from the SSA architecture are: * 96 disks per adapter versus 16 disks per adapter * Loop architecture reconfiguration around points of failure on the loop * Spatial reuse of individual links (explained above) STATEMENT OF GENERAL DIRECTION Product Preview IBM intends to provide support under AIX(R) Version 4.1 before the end of 1995. Information about IBM's future products is provided for planning purposes only and is subject to change. PUBLICATIONS Publications are shipped with the product. TECHNICAL INFORMATION Specified Operating Environment Physical Specifications: The SSA 4-Port Adapter provides SSA connections that can be configured to provide two SSA loops. Each loop supports the attachment of up to 48 devices (96 devices per adapter). Each adapter supports attachment of up to 6 maximum configuration IBM 7133 SSA Disk Subsystems (96 drives) for a total disk drive capacity of 432GB, using 4.5GB disk drives. Characteristics * Standard Micro Channel Type 5 form factor card (uses one Micro Channel slot) * Micro Channel Interface: o 8-byte bus master o Streaming data support (40MB/sec or 80MB/sec burst) o Address and data parity support * Support for up to 3,000 I/O operations/sec Note: Actual performance levels are dependent on system and application configurations. The SSA 4-Port Adapter supports IBM 7133 Serial Storage Architecture Disk Subsystem Model 500. Hardware Requirements: One available Micro Channel slot is required for each IBM SSA 4-Port Adapter. A CD-ROM drive must be available for installing the supporting software. Software Requirements: The SSA 4-Port Adapter requires AIX/6000 Version 3.2.5 with additional PTFs and AIX/6000 Version 3.2.5 device driver. For ease of installation these PTFs are packaged with the device driver and can be obtained via FIXDIST. The device driver is available as APAR IX52018. The required PTFs, on FIXDIST, are identified as PMP3251. For alternate delivery, contact your software service representative for appropriate PTFs. The additional AIX/6000 Version 3.2.5 PTFs (without the AIX/6000 Version 3.2.5 device driver for this hardware) are included on all Version 3.2.5 orders shipped after May 19, 1995, labeled AIX Version 3.2.5 Enhancement 5 (3250-05-00). Also required are PTFs shipped with the SSA 4-Port Adapter on a CD-ROM. Planning Information Cable Orders: The SSA 4-Port Adapter is plant or field installable; no cable is provided. Problem Determination: Diagnostics for use in problem determination are shipped with the SSA 4-Port Adapter. Security, Auditability, and Control User management is responsible for evaluation, selection and implementation of security features, administrative procedures and appropriate controls in application systems and communications facilities. TERMS AND CONDITIONS MES Discount Applicable: The feature discount is equal to the discount percent associated with the current volume commitment of the category of the machine type the feature is installed on. Field Installable Feature: The SSA 4-Port Adapter is field installable. Warranty Period: One year Customer Setup: All terms and conditions are the same as those applicable to the RISC System/6000 system in which the feature is installed. CHARGES Model Feature Purchase Number Number Price SSA 4-Port Adapter Machine Type 7012 340, 34H, 350, 360, 370, 380, 390, 39H 6214 $1,370 Machine Type 7013 52H, 53E, 53H, 550, 55E, 55L, 55S, 560, 56F, 570, 57F, 580, 58F, 58H, 590, 59H, 591 6214 1,370 Machine Type 7015 950, 95E, 970, 97B, 97E, 97F, 980, 98B, 98E, 98F, 990, 99E, 99F, 99J, 99K, R10, R20, R21, R24 6214 1,370 Rack Content Specify 7133/010 -- 4EIA Machine Type 7015 R00 0148 0 Machine Type 9076 201, 301, 401, 202, 302, 402, 203, 303, 403, 204, 304, 404, 3A2, 3A3, 3A4, 3B2, 3B3, 3B4 6214 1,370