Fibre Channel remains the gold standard for enterprise storage networking. This guide covers HBAs, switches, and best practices for FC SAN deployments. Browse our Fibre Channel SAN components.
Fibre Channel Speed Generations
| Generation | Speed | Throughput | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8Gb FC | 8 Gbps | 800 MB/s | Legacy |
| 16Gb FC | 16 Gbps | 1,600 MB/s | Current standard |
| 32Gb FC | 32 Gbps | 3,200 MB/s | Recommended new |
| 64Gb FC | 64 Gbps | 6,400 MB/s | Latest |
HBA Selection
QLogic (Marvell): QLE2692 (16Gb dual-port), QLE2772 (32Gb dual-port). Popular in Dell environments.
Emulex (Broadcom): LPe32002 (32Gb dual-port), LPe16002 (16Gb dual-port). Popular in HPE environments.
Both work in any server with PCIe 3.0+ slots. See Broadcom/LSI for additional options.
SAN Switch Options
Brocade (Broadcom): Market leader. G620 (24-64 ports, 32Gb), G630 (48-128 ports). Reliable, mature management (FOS).
Cisco MDS: MDS 9148T (48 ports, 32Gb), MDS 9396T (96 ports). Best if already in Cisco network environment.
Both support zoning, VSAN, and fabric services. Choice often depends on existing infrastructure.
SFP Modules for Fibre Channel
FC uses dedicated SFP transceivers (NOT Ethernet SFPs). Key types:
- 8Gb FC SFP+: Short-wave (850nm) for within data center. Up to 150m on OM3 fiber.
- 16Gb FC SFP+: Short-wave or long-wave. Short-wave for up to 100m.
- 32Gb FC SFP28: Short-wave for up to 100m on OM4 fiber.
See our SFP module inventory. Third-party FC SFPs work in both Brocade and Cisco switches.
SAN Design Best Practices
Dual fabric: Always deploy two independent FC switches (Fabric A and Fabric B) for redundancy.
Zoning: Use single-initiator zoning – one HBA port per zone paired with storage ports.
Multipath: Configure MPIO on hosts with one path per fabric. Active/Active or Active/Passive depending on storage array.
Storage: Connect storage arrays from EMC or NetApp to both fabrics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fibre Channel still relevant with NVMe-oF?
Yes. FC remains dominant in enterprise storage with 70%+ market share in SAN deployments. FC offers guaranteed latency, dedicated bandwidth, and mature management tools. NVMe-oF is growing but coexists with FC.
What FC speed should I deploy?
16Gb FC is the current sweet spot for most deployments. 32Gb FC is recommended for new installations. 8Gb FC is adequate for legacy workloads but approaching end-of-life.
QLogic vs Emulex HBA – which is better?
Both are now owned by Marvell/Broadcom and offer comparable performance. QLogic tends to be more popular in Dell environments, Emulex in HPE. Either works in any server with PCIe slots.
How many FC ports do I need per server?
Minimum 2 ports for redundancy (one per fabric/switch). 4 ports for high-bandwidth workloads with multipath. Use dual-port HBAs for simplicity.
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