Wiebetech rp-pcie-fc User Guide

 

 
 

 
We recommend that you perform a final check on your RedPort card. 
 
Prior to first use, please verify that the write-blocking function of this product is working properly.  This is 
easily done: attach a Fibre Channel storage device known to be in working order.  It should contain a 
drive (or drives) that you are willing to overwrite.  Verify that the volume mounts properly on your 
computer.  Transfer files to the storage device.  The files will appear to transfer to the drive.  When the 
process is complete, eject and then remount the volume.  The files that you wrote to the Fibre Channel 
device should not appear after the device is remounted.  If they do appear, there is a problem with your 
RedPort card, and you should contact our support department for further instructions.  
 
WiebeTech support may be reached at: 

(866) 744-8722 (toll free) 
(316) 744-8722 (international)  
(316) 744-1398 (fax) 

support@wiebetech.com

 (email) 

 
 
 

 
Fibre Channel is a serial communications technology designed to transfer large amounts of data among a 
variety of hardware systems over long distances. It is a key technology for applications that require 
shared, high bandwidth access to storage. 
 
Fibre Channel provides a logical, point-to-point, serial channel for the transfer of data between a buffer at 
a source device and a buffer at a destination device. It moves buffer contents from one port to another, 
without regard to the format or meaning of the data so different upper level protocols are able to run over 
Fibre Channel hardware. 
 
The Fibre Channel architecture is structured as a hierarchical set of protocol layers. Defined within these 
layers are rules for signal interfaces, serial encoding and decoding, error control, frame format and 
communications protocols. 
 
You need a basic understanding of Fibre Channel before installing the Celerity FC host adapter. The 
glossary section of this manual contains a list of common terms.  More information can be found at the 
following websites:  

•  ATTO Technology web site (

www.attotech.com

) 

•  The Fibre Channel Industry Association (

www.fibrechannel.com

) 

• Cern 

(

www.cern.ch

) 

•  The Storage Area Networking Industry Association (

www.snia.org

) 

•  The Fibre Channel Consortium (

www.iol.unh.edu/consortiums

, click on FC).