topic Add a Shelf to FAS270c : how to connect in ONTAP Hardware

Add a Shelf to FAS270c : how to connect

stephnane — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 07:23:06 GMT

Hi.

We bought an extension for our FAS 270c. It's a shelf of 14x300GB disks with ESH4 heads (don't know the name).

On my FAS 270c, head A is an host : "myuphost" and head B is another one : "mydownhost", each have some disks assigned. I want to assign all new disks to head A ("myuphost").

I don't know what to connect to what.

On my FAS270c :

Head A (up) : FC B : nothing

FC C : gbic with a LC loopback in

Head B (down) : FC B : nothing

FC C : gbic with a LC loopback in

(this picture is not mine because there are no LC loopback, but heads are the same)

On my Extension :

Head ESH4 A (up) : "IN" port and "OUT" port

Head ESH4 B (down) : "IN" port and "OUT" Port

Do I have to connect Head A FC port (C) to ESH4 A "OUT" and plug the loopback in ESH4 A "IN" ? (and also for Head B with ESH B ? )

Thanks a lot.

Re: Add a Shelf to FAS270c : how to connect

radek_kubka — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:13:57 GMT

Hi,

Have a look at attached pdf with step-by-step instructions.

Regards,
Radek

Re: Add a Shelf to FAS270c : how to connect

stephnane — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:12:42 GMT

Thanks for this help.

I've one last question.

Do I have to plug a "loopback" in the OUT FC port of the ESH4 head ?

Re: Add a Shelf to FAS270c : how to connect

radek_kubka — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:28:00 GMT

Nope - terminators stay in controller units.

Re: Add a Shelf to FAS270c : how to connect

stephnane — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:16:15 GMT

I'm not sure of what I have to do...

In my extension, ESH4 modules only have LC plugs for Fiber Channel

In controller units, I have one LC port C and another type of plug (don't know the name) on port B.

Is it OK if I plug LC port from the controller unit (so I have to remove terminator) to "IN" port of ESH4 module ?

Re: Add a Shelf to FAS270c : how to connect

scottgelb — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:26:13 GMT

The older FAS270s have an hssdc2 connection (newer ROHS compliant have SFP). To connect the older 270 to the ESH, you need an HSSDC2 to SFP cable. The NetApp part # is X6531...you have to run the shelf at 1GB.

Re: Add a Shelf to FAS270c : how to connect

stephnane — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:31:29 GMT

But can I connect SFP port to my ESH4 module ?

The document that radek.kubka post show that this is the port C which is connected.

Re: Add a Shelf to FAS270c : how to connect

radek_kubka — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:59:33 GMT

Nope.

If you follow the doc carefully each step number is shown (with relevant location) on the diagram:

5. Plug the SFP module into Fibre Channel port C. If you are not attaching a third-party device, terminate the port.

In other words, if you are not connecting any host-side (or backup) fabric, then terminate port C

8. Cable the Fibre Channel port on Node B to the disk shelf ESH2/ESH4/AT-FCX module B Input.

And the diagram clearly shows this step has to be done using port B on the controller (yeah, confusing as they also use A & B to describe two different controllers)

Regards,
Radek

Re: Add a Shelf to FAS270c : how to connect

stephnane — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:09:02 GMT

OK, thanks you very much.

Now I'm sure that my provider didn't give me the rights cables ...