Routing and connecting the expansion rack FC-AL cables (business class models)

About this task

Note: If an FC-AL cable is damaged, you can use the point-to-point cabling diagrams to determine the other end of the cable. See Point-to-point cabling diagrams - FC-AL, Flash PCIe, and SAS cables. Several FC-AL cables are tightly bundled together so it is difficult to physically trace an individual FC-AL cable from end to end.

Procedure

  1. Do the following step that applies:
    • You are installing Rack-2. The FC-AL cables must be routed and connected to Rack-1. Go to step 2.
    • You are installing Rack-3. The FC-AL cables must be routed and connected to Rack-2. Go to step 2.
  2. Find and uncoil the FC-AL cables that are coiled at the rear of the expansion rack being installed. Do not remove the protective cable connector covers.
  3. Determine the destination rack and storage enclosure or I/O enclosure for each FC-AL cable bundle.
    1. Find the location code label at the free end of each FC-AL cable.
    2. If the labels include the physical location code (example: R2-G01-P1-C1-T2) refer to Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4, and Figure 5 to translate to the destination storage enclosure or I/O enclosure. Then, go to step 4.
    3. If the labels only include the three character connection designators (example: 4A1), refer to Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4, and Figure 5 to translate to the destination storage enclosure or I/O enclosure. Then, go to step 4.
    Figure 1. Cable labels, storage and I/O enclosure locations for physical location codes
    Cable labels, storage and I/O enclosure locations for physical location codes
    Figure 2. Point-to-point cabling diagram for storage enclosure PCIe and FC-AL cables (Models 980, 98B, rear view, racks 1, 2)
    Point-to-point cabling diagram for storage enclosure PCIe and FC-AL cables (Models 980, 98B, rear view, racks 1, 2)
    Figure 3. Point-to-point cabling diagram for the FC-AL cables (Models 980, 98B, rear view, rack 3)
    Point-to-point cabling diagram for the FC-AL cables (Models 980, 98B, rear view, rack 3)
    Figure 4. Point-to-point cabling diagram for storage enclosure FC-AL and Flash PCIe / SAS cables (Models 984, 84E, rear view, racks 1, 2)
    Point-to-point cabling diagram for storage enclosure FC-AL and Flash PCIe / SAS cables (Models 984, 84E, rear view, racks 1, 2)
    Figure 5. Point-to-point cabling diagram for the FC-AL cables (Models 984, 84E, rack 3)
    Point-to-point cabling diagram for the FC-AL cables (Models 984, 84E, rack 3)
  4. Route the FC-AL cable bundles to the destination rack.
    1. Do not connect the FC-AL cables to the storage enclosure Fibre Channel interface cards or I/O enclosure device adapter cards until directed later in this procedure.
    2. Route each cable bundle  1  to the destination rack through the rack to rack holes at the upper rear of each rack. See Figure 6 and Figure 7.
      Figure 6. Routing remote power control cables and optical cables between racks
      Note: Models 980 and 98B shown, routing for other models is similar
      Routing remote power control cables and FC-AL cables between racks
      Figure 7. Routing rack-to-rack power control and optical cables across a rack (earlier model shown, routing for models 98x and 8xE similar)
      Routing rack-to-rack power control and FCAL cables on top of the sheet metal tray
  5. If you are connecting cables to I/O enclosure locations, route the FC-AL cables to the destination I/O enclosures.
    1. Do not connect the FC-AL cables to the I/O enclosure device adapter cards until directed later in this procedure.
    2. FC-AL cables that will connect to an I/O enclosure on the left side of the rack are routed down the left side of the rack.
      • Left side cables have "XI1" or "XI3" in the location code (for example, Rx-XI3-P1-Cx-Tx), or the second character in the connection designator is uppercase (for example, 2A1).
    3. FC-AL cables that will connect to an I/O enclosure on the right side of the rack are routed down the right side of the rack.
      • Right side cables have "XI2" or "XI4" in the location code (for example, Rx-XI4-P1-Cx-Tx), or the last character in the connection designator is lowercase (for example, 2a1).
  6. If cables were routed to I/O enclosures, plug the FC-AL cables into the connectors on the I/O enclosure device adapter cards as indicated on the cable labels. Refer to Figure 8 and Figure 9 for connector locations.
    Note: Do not discard the connector covers, you can store them in the Rack-1 documents enclosure (left rear).
    1. If the labels include the physical location code (example: R1-XI4-P1-C3-T4) refer to Figure 8 and Figure 9.
    2. If the labels only include the three character connection designators (example: 3A1), refer to Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4, and Figure 5.
    Figure 8. I/O enclosure locations (rear)
    Image that shows I/O enclosure locations (rear)
    Note: Enclosures 1B1, 1B2, 2B1, and 2B2 are not present in models 980, 984 (except all-flash), 98B, 84E.
    Figure 9. I/O enclosure locations (rear) (models 98x, 8xE)
    I/O enclosure locations (rear) (models 98x)
  7. Route the FC-AL cables to the destination storage enclosure.
    1. Do not connect the FC-AL cables to the storage enclosure Fibre Channel interface cards until directed later in this procedure.
    2. FC-AL cables that will connect to the Fibre Channel interface card in the left side of a storage enclosure are routed down the left side of the rack.
      • Left side cables have "C1" in the location code (for example, R3-G05-P1-C1-T1), or the last character in the connection designator will be odd (for example, 2A5)
    3. FC-AL cables that will connect to the to the right Fibre Channel interface card in a storage enclosure are routed down the right side of the rack.
      • Right side cables have "C2" in the location code (for example, R3-G05-P1-C2-T1), or the last character in the connection designator will be even (for example, 2A6)
  8. Plug the FC-AL cables into the connectors on the FCIC cards in the storage enclosures as indicated on the cable labels. Refer to Figure 10 for connector locations.
    Note: Do not discard the connector covers, you can store them in the Rack-1 documents enclosure (left rear).
    1. If the labels include the physical location code (example: R2-G01-P1-C1-T2) refer to Figure 10.
    2. If the labels only include the three character connection designators (example: 4A1), refer to Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4, and Figure 5.
    Figure 10. Storage enclosure locations rear
    Storage enclosure locations rear
  9. Use existing cable trays and cable ties to secure the cables neatly.
    Figure 11. Storage enclosure cable routing
    Image of storage enclosure cable routing
  10. Are you installing Rack-2?