| Q1. |
Will these 8Gb FC HBA work in my existing SAN? |
| A1. |
Because the 8Gb FC HBAs will "auto negotiate" to 4Gb or 2Gb you can add them to any existing SAN. |
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| Q2. |
Why should I purchase this product over a 4Gb HBA? |
| A2. |
This product provides the latest technology for only a slight increase in price. Since 4Gb technology will be considered "old" soon, customers have the opportunity to move to 8Gb technology which will serve them for a much longer period than 4Gb technology. |
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| Q3. |
What servers have been qualified? |
| A3. |
HP ProLiant DL and ML servers will be qualified at announcement. Integrity servers will be qualified later this year. |
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| Q4. |
Why are the 8Gb cards only PCIe? Will there be PCI-x cards? |
| A4. |
Most new servers have been equipped with PCIe slots only. In some cases, PCI-x slots are available for an additional fee. Since the industry is moving toward PCIe only servers, there will be no need for PCI-x cards except for in older servers. |
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| Q5. |
Since there are offerings from two vendors, is one recommended over the other? |
| A5. |
No, each manufacturer provides basic capabilities plus unique features. You should select the HBA that meets your individual requirements. |
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| Q6. |
Why would I purchase a dual channel card over a single channel one? |
| A6. |
For high availability applications, we suggest purchasing two single channel cards so that in the event one fails, the second can take over. For some customers, host ports are limited, therefore, they opt to purchase one dual channel card. Be aware that the dual channel card does not provide the same level of reliability as two single channel cards do. |
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| Q7. |
Why would I need to purchase an 8Gb HBA? |
| A7. |
If you are running storage-intensive applications and performance is an issue, then the Simple SAN Connection Kit or the 8Gb HBA should be your first purchase toward a faster SAN infrastructure. Since 4Gb technology will be considered "old" soon, customers have the opportunity to move to 8Gb technology which will serve them for a much longer period than 4Gb technology. If you are purchasing today, you should purchase an 81Q PCIe FC Host Bus Adapter. |
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