Configuring enclosure components, Fabric a, Fabrics b and c – Dell PowerEdge VRTX User Manual
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Configuring enclosure components
Fabric A
Fabric A refers to the Ethernet connectivity provided to the server modules by the I/O module installed at the back of the
PowerEdge VRTX enclosure.
Fabric A provides internal connection to four lanes per server module for a maximum of 16 lanes. The number of external
connections are based on the I/O module installed. The R1-2401 switch and R1-PT pass-through module provide a
maximum of eight RJ-45 1 GbE ports. The R1-2210 switch module provides a maximum of two RJ-45 1 GbE ports and four
SFP+ 10 GbE ports.
The following conditions apply:
•
Dell PowerEdge M520 server module disables ports 3 and 4 when a pass-through module is installed. However, if
you install a switch module, all four network ports on Fabric A are utilized.
•
Fabric A in PowerEdge M620 is a 10 GbE capable interface. Fabric A operates at 1 GbE to support a pass-through or
the R1-2401 switch module, and at 10 GbE to support the R1-2210 switch module.
•
Fabric A in PowerEdge M820 is a 10 GbE capable interface. Fabric A operates at 1 GbE to support a pass-through or
the R1-2401 switch module, and at 10 GbE to support the R1-2210 switch module.
For information on the supported I/O modules, see
.
Fabrics B and C
Fabrics B and C refer to the PCIe connections between the server modules and the VRTX enclosure. These fabrics
support PCIe mezzanine cards installed in the server modules. The enclosure has two PCIe switches (Fabric B and
Fabric C switches) integrated on the system board to connect the server modules to the Shared PoweEdge RAID
Controller (PERC) card slots and eight PCIe expansion-card slots on the enclosure.
NOTE: To locate the Shared PERC card slots and the PCIe slots on the enclosure system board, see
The PCIe switch mapping to the PCIe card slots is dependent on the firmware and the software license installed on the
system. For more information on mapping PCIe slots, see
.
NOTE: PCIe NICs systems management is not supported on Fabrics B and C.
I/O module and PCIe mezzanine card configuration guidelines
•
Fabric A supports an Ethernet switch or a pass-through module.
•
To enable switch configuration before imaging the server modules, the I/O module must be allowed to power-up
before the server modules are turned on.
•
Each half-height server module installed in the PowerEdge VRTX enclosure supports two PCIe mezzanine cards in
Fabric B and Fabric C slots. Each full-height server module supports four PCIe mezzanine cards in the two Fabric B
and two Fabric C slots. To locate the Fabric B and Fabric C slots, see the server module Owner's Manual at dell.com/
poweredgemanuals. The PCIe mezzanine cards are mapped to the PCIe expansion slots on the enclosure. For more
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