Fibre Channel SAN Extension over Optical Networks
WAN Design Metrics
Applications for SAN Extension
Synchronous Asynchronous Remote tape
replication replication vaulting
CWDM
DWDM
Metro Ethernet
SONET
Public IP
Business continuance and disaster recovery applications are the most
common applications for SAN extension:
Synchronous replication requires high bandwidth and low latency, and
CWDM and DWDM may provide the best solutions for these
applications. For longer distances, FC-over-SONET can sometimes be
used for synchronous replication.
Asynchronous replication also requires high bandwidth but can tolerate
more latency, so FC-over-SONET can provide a more cost-effective
solution in addition to supporting longer distances than WDM solutions.
Metro GigE can also be used here.
Remote tape vaulting applications can tolerate higher latency, but still
need deterministic (consistent) latency. For these solutions, FC-over-
SONET or FCIP-over-POS can be a cost-effective solution. In addition
SSPs that host remote vaulting solutions are currently more likely to
provide SONET connectivity than WDM.