What type of Fabric switch ports are joined to form an ISL? (A) E_Port to E_Port (B) NL_Port to E_Port (C) F_Port to F_Port (D) N_port to F_Port
Answer (1)
To understand which type of Fabric switch ports are used to form an Inter-Switch Link (ISL), we need to delve into some basics of Fibre Channel switching.
Fibre Channel (FC) is a high-speed networking technology primarily used to connect computer data storage to servers. Within a Fibre Channel network, different types of ports are designated by specific acronyms, such as E_Port, F_Port, N_Port, and NL_Port. Each of these ports serves a unique purpose:
E_Port (Expansion Port): This is used to connect switches together to form a fabric. Two E_Ports from different switches connect to form an ISL (Inter-Switch Link), which is used to expand and manage a larger network fabric.
F_Port (Fabric Port): This is a switch port that connects to an N_Port of a node, like a server or a storage device.
N_Port (Node Port): This port is on a node within a FC network, such as a server or storage device, which connects to an F_Port of a switch.
NL_Port (Node Loop Port): Similar to the N_Port, but used in FC-Arbitrated Loop topology.
When forming an ISL, the correct type of port pairing is E_Port to E_Port (Option A). This connection allows for communication between different fabric switches, enabling high-speed data transfer and network expansion.
Thus, the correct choice for the type of Fabric switch ports joined to form an ISL is (A) E_Port to E_Port.
