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Mainframe

Mainframe users face complex challenges in today's dynamic data centers, including the need for simplification, cost reduction, data protection, and a more cost-effective and "green" IT infrastructure. Brocade FICON directors and switches leverage unmatched technological innovation and industry-leading expertise to provide the highest-performing and most reliable FICON infrastructure for System z mainframe environments.

Brocade Fabric OS (FOS) v7.0.0c FICON Qualification Letter

Brocade Fabric OS (FOS) v6.4.0c FICON Qualification Letter

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The IBM zEnterprise 196 (z196) is the industry's fastest and most scalable enterprise system. It leverages FICON Express8S and z High Performance FICON (zHPF) to improve performance for traditional and modern workloads, enabling unprecedented virtualization support for massive consolidation and infrastructure simplification. To maximize the value of z196 processing power and I/O capabilities, organizations require a high-performance, scalable, and reliable FICON infrastructure.

Brocade FICON-capable directors and switches provide the most flexible FICON infrastructure for designing, building, and transforming enterprise data centers into strategic business assets. Brocade DCX 8510 FICON directors and Brocade FICON switches provide industry-leading performance, scalability, and investment protection, enabling organizations to leverage the full capabilities of System z, particularly z196 solutions.

Built on proven technologies, Brocade FICON solutions enable IT organizations to address their most pressing business challenges while preparing for emerging and future technologies. They offer System z users many unique advantages, including:

  • Maximizes consolidation and virtualization of workloads, matching the performance demands of the mainframe with the superior I/O bandwidth of a FICON infrastructure
  • Builds on more than 25 years of mainframe leadership that includes designing the FICON standard and authoring many FICON patents
  • Integrates metro and global FICON extension, including acceleration for disk and tape, to move more data faster and further for disaster recovery and business continuity solutions
  • Leverages mainframe-proven technology performing at over 99.999 percent uptime in enterprise data centers across the globe

Mainframe Connectivity Resources

Browse a complete listing of all Brocade resources. View All Resources

Abstract:

This guide discusses topics related to mixing FICON and FCP devices in the same Storage Area Network (SAN), focusing on issues that end users need to address. These include specifics for the IBM zEnterprise System, as well as the fabric elements to consider when evaluating a FICON/FCP intermix solution.

Abstract:

This paper describes how Brocade product offerings can greatly increase the availability, investment protection, and performance of an enterprise IBM System z Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity solution.

Abstract:

To realize the full value of an investment in the zEnterprise requires a transformation in the infrastructure supporting your new mainframe. This paper explores a thoughtfully planned and managed transition from a mixed ESCON and FICON infrastructure to a pure FICON infrastructure, enabling a smarter, centralized, cloud-optimized data center for the future.

Abstract:

This guide describes best practices for incorporating cabling in a typical data center, plus tips for selecting cabling components and information on data transmission media.

Abstract:

This paper explains the concept of Buffer-to-Buffer credits and provides an easy method to calculate the optimal number of credits required for maximum FICON performance.

Abstract:

The Brocade DCX Backbone provides industry-leading performance, scalability, and investment protection, unleashing the full capabilities of IBM System z, especially IBM zEnterprise 196 (z196) solutions.

Abstract:

The combination of switched FICON connectivity with Hitachi VSP connected to mainframe channels through a Brocade DCX 8510 Director provides a powerful, flexible and highly available solution to support the storage features, performance and capacity needed for today's mainframe environments.

Abstract:

This paper explores both the technical and business reasons for implementing a switched FICON architecture instead of a direct-attached storage FICON architecture.