Storage Networking: Upgrading to 8 Gbps Fiber Channel

In most environments, the decision is not whether to buy 8 Gbps Fibre Channel over 4 Gbps, but when and where to deploy it. As stated in this TechTarget story, upgrading your Fibre Channel to 8 Gbps comes with many considerations and is much different than deploying an 8 Gbps SAN in an environment that has no FC installed.

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"The price for most 8 Gbps switches, on a per-port basis, is essentially the same as 4 Gbps. This is due largely to the increase in adoption of the technology and the desire by vendors for the market to quickly settle on 8 Gbps Fibre Channel. On the host bus adapter (HBA) side, there is still somewhat of a price delta between 4 Gbps and 8 Gbps (depending on the manufacturer) due mainly to the cost differential of Small Form-Factor Plugs (SFPs)."

Read the Full Story at TechTarget