IBM Network Integration and Deployment Services Enhances its Capabilities to Support Your Growing

Overview

The advanced technology and performance of the IBM family (iSeries™, pSeries™, xSeries™, and zSeries™) adds a new dimension to today's e-business. Proper IT infrastructure planning and implementation are critical to optimize the benefits of IBM's family. High-speed protocols such as Fibre Channel (FC) and Gigabit Ethernet have unique fiber requirements, types, and connectors as well as support distances and data rates. Planning and implementation need to address these unique requirements as well as future requirements.

IBM Network Integration and Deployment Services for enterprise fiber cabling is being announced to go beyond the boundaries of the data center to encompass the current requirements of the entire e-business IT fiber cabling infrastructure. This customized solution utilizes IBM's Fiber Transport System (FTS), a modular, structured fiber cabling system that meets current IBM and industry standards. Enterprise fiber cabling solutions are designed to incorporate all the steps necessary to address your current and future fiber installation requirements.

IBM Network Integration and Deployment Services for zSeries fiber cabling is being enhanced to be an option-oriented service for the new zSeries z990 as well as the previous zSeries models.

Description

Fiber optic cabling complexity continues to be part of the IT infrastructure as diverse protocols (ESCON^®, FICON™, FCP, and Gigabit Ethernet) and industry-standard, small form factor (SFF) connectors continue to proliferate in the enterprise.

If your enterprise has multiple generations of products, the problem can be exacerbated. Even more critical is the availability of skills and dedicated personnel tasked to support the short-term as well as the long-term requirements of the IT infrastructure in addition to supporting the open systems e-business environment.

To better satisfy the cabling requirements of the enterprise and the IBM zSeries servers, Networking Services is enhancing their fiber optic cabling services.

Networking Services is continually working to verify that IBM has a comprehensive set of fiber cabling services prepared for today and tomorrow. These services take into consideration the requirements for all of the protocols/media types supported on zSeries (for example, ESCON, FICON, Coupling Links, and OSA), whether the focus is the data center, the Storage Area Network (SAN), the Local Area Network (LAN), or the end-to-end enterprise.

Networking Services fiber cabling services makes the most of your cabling investments. IBM has the skills to facilitate the design and installation of your cabling with the consulting services so critical when the clock matters. Knowing that new installations, upgrades, and relocations require flawless execution, comprehensive solutions are available to reduce the complexity and simplify the process. The IBM Network Integration and Deployment Services for zSeries fiber cabling and IBM Network Integration and Deployment Services for enterprise fiber cabling have been designed to solve the IT infrastructure dilemmas at both the product-level and the enterprise-level.

These services can meet the needs of your system configurations be they small, medium, or large. IBM connectivity experts will help you select the option that is best suited to achieve your business goals, to simplify the zSeries deployment with effective onsite fiber optic cable planning and installation support.

The customer is responsible for fiber optic cables, cable planning, labeling, and installation for the new z990. Fiber optic conversion kits and Mode Conditioning Patch (MCP) cables are not able to be ordered as features on z990. Installation Planning Representatives (IPRs) and System Service Representatives (SSRs) will not perform the fiber optic cabling tasks without a services contract.

IBM Network Integration and Deployment Services for zSeries fiber cabling offers three options to provide individual fiber optic cables (jumper cables, conversion kits, and MCP cables) for connecting to a z800, z900, or z990.

Option 1 — Fiber optic jumper cabling package (available today for z800 and z900). IBM does the detailed planning — this option includes planning, new cables, installation, and documentation. An analysis of your zSeries channel configuration, I/O devices, and any existing fiber optic cabling is required to determine the appropriate fiber cables.
Option 2 — Fiber optic jumper cable migration and reuse for a zSeries upgrade (new option). This option includes planning, reuse of existing cables, and documentation. IBM organizes the existing fiber optic cables based upon the new z990 connections details. Relabeling, rerouting, and reconnection to the appropriate z990 channels is performed. New cables are not offered as a part of this option.
Option 3 — Fiber optic jumper cables and installation (new option). You provide a list of the required fiber optic cables (jumper cables, conversion kits, and MCP cables). The service includes new cables, labeling, installation, and documentation. The customer is responsible for planning and providing the required list of cables.

Options 1 and 2 can be combined to provide comprehensive upgrade coverage.

IBM Network Integration and Deployment Services for enterprise fiber cabling offers two options to provide Fiber Transport System (FTS) fiber optic trunk commodities (fiber optic trunk cables, fiber harnesses, and panel-mount boxes) for connecting to the z800, z900, or z990.

Option 1 — zSeries fiber trunk cabling package (new option). This package is designed to reduce the cable clutter under the floor. An analysis of your zSeries (z800, z900, or z990) channel configuration and your existing fiber optic cabling is performed to determine the required FTS fiber optic trunk commodities (trunk cables, harnesses, and panel-mount boxes). This option includes zSeries planning, FTS fiber optic trunking commodities, installation, and documentation. This option does not include enterprise level planning.
Option 2 — Enterprise fiber cabling services. This option is designed to organize your entire enterprise and reduce the cable clutter under the floor. This option includes enterprise level planning, new cables, FTS fiber optic trunking commodities, installation, and documentation. This is the most comprehensive set of services.

By conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the entire enterprise you can increase the potential for achieving your long-term planning goals.

IBM Network Integration and Deployment Services for enterprise fiber cabling employs the use of a proven modular cabling system, IBM's FTS, which includes trunk cables, zone cabinets, and panels for your servers, directors, and storage devices.

FTS supports Fiber Quick Connect (FQC), fiber harnesses integrated in the zSeries frame for "quick" connect, which is offered as a feature on zSeries for connection to ESCON channels.

Whether you choose a packaged service or a custom service, high-quality components are used to facilitate moves, adds, and changes in the enterprise to prevent extending your maintenance "window."

IBM Network Integration and Deployment Services Enhances its Capabilities to Support Your Growing Enterprise and IBM zSeries Server Fiber Optic Cabling Requirements

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