Customer configuration
Use actual or estimated values. The result is a sizing aid—not a final SAN design. Voice input is available through the Speak Answer button on supported browsers.
How the configurator decides
The calculation separates endpoint connectivity from SAN architecture.
5015, 5045 and C300 use a 24-port-class starting floor; 5600, 7600 and 9600 establish progressively higher workload/performance floors.
Host HBA ports + FlashSystem FC storage ports = total FC endpoint connections.
The configurator estimates endpoint ports per fabric, then adds the requested ISL ports.
The selected 5 year allowance is applied to the calculated per-fabric requirement.
A director-class architecture requirement makes SAN192C-6 the minimum platform; final port sizing can move the recommendation to larger directors.
Confirm exact HBA topology, storage ports, ISLs, optics, licensing, zoning, redundancy, distance and software/firmware compatibility.
Calculated SAN sizing
| Calculation | Value | Meaning |
|---|
IBM c-type selection map
| IBM SAN c-type | IBM Machine Type / Model | Comparable Cisco MDS | Port class | Positioning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAN16C-R | 8977 Model R16 | MDS 9220i Multiservice Fabric Switch | 12 FC / 4 Ethernet ports | Multiservice / SAN-extension option for departmental, remote-branch and specialized FCIP environments; not a like-for-like 64G fixed-switch replacement. |
| SAN24C-7 | 9024 Model V24 | MDS 9124V | 24 | Small 64G SAN; modest 5600 environments. |
| SAN48C-7 | 9024 Model V48 | MDS 9148V | 48 | Mainstream 64G fixed switch; balanced 5600/7600 choice. |
| SAN96C-7 | 9396 Model V96 | MDS 9396V | 96 | High-density 64G fixed switch for larger 7600/9600 fabrics. |
| SAN192C-6 Mission Critical Directors with 32/64G ports | 8978 Model E04 | MDS 9706 | 192 | First director step; modularity, redundancy and scale. |
| SAN384C-6 Mission Critical Directors with 32/64G ports | 8978 Model E08 | MDS 9710 | 384 | Large enterprise/core SAN consolidation. |
| SAN768C-6 Mission Critical Directors with 32/64G ports | 8978 Model E16 | MDS 9718 | 768 | Very large enterprise/core SAN and maximum director density. |
Software license options
Advantage Subscription
Use when the SAN requires Cisco's advanced enterprise feature set and centralized NDFC management, but SAN Analytics is not required. The supplied IBM feature-code source lists Advantage subscription feature codes for 1, 3 and 5 years.
Premier Subscription
Use when the customer wants the full MDS subscription feature set, including SAN Analytics and telemetry. The supplied IBM feature-code source lists Premier subscription feature codes for 1, 3 and 5 years where the platform family supports Premier.
IBM DS8000 storage context
IBM Storage DS8000
DS8000 is a high-availability enterprise storage platform designed for demanding open-systems and IBM Z environments. Its Fibre Channel host adapters connect directly to SAN fabrics and support both SCSI-FCP and FICON use cases. Current DS8000 10th Generation Fibre Channel host adapters are 4-port 32G adapters, with adapters added in pairs and balanced for availability.
Why the SAN matters
For DS8000 deployments, the SAN provides the switching fabric between hosts and storage and can also support storage-to-storage connectivity. Size the fabric for the total DS8000 FC ports, host HBA ports, ISLs and growth across independent fabrics. For IBM Z environments, account for FICON connectivity and the required director/switch architecture separately from open-systems FCP sizing.
Why each platform?
SAN16C-R
Specialized multiservice option for SAN extension, FCIP, remote-branch and departmental deployments. Use it when integrated IP storage services are a key requirement; for a conventional 64G fixed-fabric design, move to the SAN24C-7 or larger.
SAN24C-7
Small 64G SAN. Appropriate when the 5600 is modest in scale and endpoint connectivity is comfortably within 24 ports per fabric.
SAN48C-7
The balanced fixed-switch choice for many 5600/7600 deployments, with room for more hosts, storage ports and moderate growth.
SAN96C-7
High-density fixed switching for larger 7600/9600 fabrics before director architecture is required.
SAN192C-6
Mission Critical Directors with 32/64G ports
First director step for critical infrastructure, modular expansion, redundancy and larger SAN consolidation.
SAN384C-6
Mission Critical Directors with 32/64G ports
Large enterprise director for multiple arrays, large host populations and substantial long-term growth.
SAN768C-6
Mission Critical Directors with 32/64G ports
Maximum director scale for very large enterprise/core SAN environments and major consolidation.
FlashSystem performance context
| System | IBM use-case positioning | Max read bandwidth | Max I/O ports / enclosure | FC / NVMe-FC option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5015 | Entry enterprise; nearline archive and backup | Entry platform | FC available | 16G FC; SAN24C-7 starting point |
| 5045 | Mixed workloads and virtualized environments | Entry/midrange platform | FC available | 16G FC; SAN24C-7 starting point |
| C300 | Capacity-optimized workloads: backup, archive, media | 37 GB/s | 16 | 32G/16G FC; SAN24C-7 starting point |
| 5600 | Mixed workloads, smaller OLTP databases | 30 GB/s | 16 | 64G or 32G FC / NVMe-FC optional |
| 7600 | Larger mixed and OLTP workloads; up to 4.3M IOPS | 55 GB/s | 32 | 64G or 32G FC / NVMe-FC optional |
| 9600 | Consolidated mixed and critical OLTP workloads | 86 GB/s | 32 | 64G or 32G FC / NVMe-FC optional |
IBM Storage DS8000
DS8000 is an enterprise storage platform for open-systems and IBM Z environments. Current 10th Generation Fibre Channel host adapters are 4-port 32G adapters and support SCSI-FCP and FICON. Count the actual installed DS8000 FC ports as storage endpoints when sizing the SAN fabric.