© 2001, Myricom, Inc.
-- 19 --
Revision: 27 August 2001
6. Configurations for up to 128 Hosts
Optimal, full-bisection networks for 128 or fewer hosts do not require any detailed understanding
of network topologies.
A network for 8 or fewer hosts requires only the front-panel ports of an M3-SW16 line card.
Although small switches can be ordered with single product codes, here are the recipes in order
to give you a sense of the modularity. All of the configurations listed include the optional M3-M
monitoring line card. If it is omitted, it should be replaced with an M3-BLANK panel.
Product Code
Description
Modular assembly
M3F-SW8M
Fiber switch:
M3-E16 + M3-M + M3-BLANK + M3-SW16-8F
M3S-SW8M
Serial switch:
M3-E16 + M3-M + M3-BLANK + M3-SW16-8S
M3M-SW8M
SAN switch:
M3-E16 + M3-M + M3-BLANK + M3-SW16-8M
As described on page 12, 16-port switches are, when possible, assembled from an M3-SW16 line
card and an M3-SPINE line card in the M3-E16 enclosure. Here are the recipes for the modular
assembly of the 16-port switches (with monitoring) that appear in the product list:
Product Code
Description
Modular assembly
M3F-SW16M
Fiber switch:
M3-E16 + M3-M + M3-SPINE-8F + M3-SW16-8F
M3S-SW16M
Serial switch:
M3-E16 + M3-M + M3-SPINE-8S + M3-SW16-8S
M3M-SW16M
SAN switch:
M3-E16 + M3-M + 2*M3-SW16-8M
There is no M3-SPINE-8M product due to signal-integrity limitations on carrying SAN signals
across backplanes and then across line cards to cables. Hence, the 16-port, all-SAN switch has a
redundant layer of switching (see page 12).
What if you wanted a switch to connect 8 hosts with Fiber links and an additional 8 hosts with
SAN links? You can readily specify a 16-port switch for this application as either:
Product Code
Description
Modular assembly
(none)
8 Fiber
+
M3-E16 + M3-M + M3-SPINE-8F + M3-SW16-8M, or
8 SAN
M3-E16 + M3-M + M3-SW16-8F + M3-SW16-8M
The second of these configurations has a extra level of switching and has a slightly higher cost,
but uses line cards that are more versatile. (The extra level of switching is nearly invisible from
the standpoint of software, performance, and reliability.) If you planned to expand this cluster to
up to 64 hosts, it would make sense to leave room for expansion by specifying:
Product Code
Description
Modular assembly
(none)
8 Fiber +
M3-E64 + M3-M + 6*M3-BLANK +
8 SAN
M3-SW16-8F + M3-SW16-8M
For each 8 hosts added for a particular PHY, just add another line card.
