Its for Fiber connection and it has a dual head ... here is a link to a picture of it
http://www.rug.nl/rc/diensten/system_services/nieuwsbrief/200504/san-switch-800x600.jpg
I am not sure if its called a SAN or GBIC or something like that ... what are SANs and GBICs anyways? Please Help!
2007-02-22 08:44:31 · 2 answers · asked by Tea 3 in Computers & Internet ➔ Computer Networking
Other responder is correct - you can't tell the usage by the shape of the connector.
GBIC is 'gigabit interface converter'. Many gigabit ethernet switches provide places to plug in GBICs to interface with the switch circuitry. GBICs convert the electrical gigabit ethernet signal to the appropriate media you wish to use -- typically fiber optic or copper. GBICs you may encounter include:
1000-Base-SX - 'short-haul' GBIC for sending signal on multi-mode fiber, with usual range limit of 2 kilometers.
1000-Base-LX - 'long-haul' GBIC for sending signal on single-mode fiber, with usual range limit of 20 kilometers.
1000-Base-TX - copper GBIC, usually with an RJ45 connector.
Most GBIC's are about the size of a cigarette lighter, and have an SC-style fiber connector.
The type in your picture appear to be "small-form pluggable" (SFP) GBICs, an innovation in the last few years to allow higher density of connectors, and a plug shape very close to the dimensions of an RJ45 plug.
I don't have experience with SAN switches, but I believe SAN switches also use GBICs. I do not know if you can use a GBIC from an ethernet switch in a SAN switch.
The wikipedia link below has better information.
2007-02-23 07:03:54 · answer #1 · answered by tom_gronke 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fiber network lines have two fibers; one for transmitting and one for receiving. You can't tell what kind of network is being used by the type of network cable.
SAN = Storage Attached Network
2007-02-22 08:48:48 · answer #2 · answered by BigRez 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋