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Miscellaneous

Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) is a storage networking topology used in storage area networks (SANs). It is based on the Fibre Channel protocol and is one of the most common type of SAN network topology. FC-AL is predominately used in small to mid-sized SANs, due to its low cost and ease of implementation.

FC-AL is a high performance, reliable and secure topology for Fibre Channel networks. Its is based on the arbitrated loop design, in which each connected node is linked to an output port on a loop coupler. The loop coupler has two output ports, one is used for data transmission and the other for control. Nodes are connected in series, forming a loop of storage devices called a loop.

FC-AL networks use a synchronous data transfer protocol called synchronous data transfer protocol (SDTP). This protocol enables nodes on the loop to send and receive data simultaneously, reducing latency and increasing the overall performance of the SAN. It also allows for better fault tolerance, as any node that fails can be taken offline without disrupting the flow of data within the SAN.

FC-AL networks are highly reliable, robust and support data transmission at high speeds. They also support multiplexing, allowing one node to send and receive multiple data streams at the same time. The multiplexing capability of FC-AL networks increases the overall bandwidth of the SAN and allows for more efficient storage and retrieval of data.

The primary applications of FC-AL networks include storage consolidation, server and peripheral virtualization, data replication and archiving, disaster recovery, and SAN synchronization. FC-AL networks are also commonly used to support continuous data protection (CDP), as it allows for replication of large amounts of data with comparatively low levels of latency.

The working principle of FC-AL networks is based on the arbitrated loop model. All nodes in the loop are connected in a series fashion with every node being connected to a loop coupler. The coupler connects each node to both an output port for data transmission and another port for control signaling. Communication between nodes is always done in a master-slave manner with an initiator (master node) sending commands to a target (slave node). Each node is able to identify itself to other nodes, allowing master node to send signals to various nodes in the loop. Data is transmitted in a synchronized manner using SDTP, which allows for multiplexing of multiple data streams in real-time.

In FC-AL networks, each node is responsible for maintaining its own data integrity and reliability. Every node is able to detect and report errors that occur during data transfer. Error detection is done through the use of cyclic redundancy check (CRC) codes which are added to the data during transmission. All nodes are required to support basic error-handling protocols such as sending and receiving acknowledgments, retransmission, etc. which are used to maintain data integrity.

FC-AL networks are also capable of providing quality of service (QoS) to various applications that need different levels of performance. QoS features such as Class of Service (CoS) ensures that certain traffic types will have higher priority, better reliability and greater availability than others.

FC-AL networks are widely used to connect storage, servers and other peripherals in SANs. They are a cost-effective, reliable and secure solution for storage networks and enable users to store, access and manage large amounts of data with minimal disruption.

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