Accoring to the BCSPNE study
guide:
High-speed Switch Fabric Modules
• Gen-2 high-speed fabric (hSFM) modules support wire-speed
forwarding
for all packet sizes, including
jumbo frames
• hSFM modules are supported on Brocade MLX Series and Brocade
NetIron
XMR routers, and are
interoperable with all existing interface module
• hSFM modules are hot-swappable, which means you can install or
replace
them while the system is
powered up and running
• hSFM modules can operate in normal mode or turbo mode but will
boot in
turbo mode only if all active
interface modules are Gen-2 module
Note
Gen-1 switch fabric modules and Gen-2 hSFMs are not compatible and
will
not operate together in
the same device.
Managing Switch Fabric Modules
High-speed Switch Fabric Modules can operate in Normal mode or Turbo
mode. Standard switch fabric
modules (SFM) can only operate in Normal mode. The hSFM module is
classified as a G2 module and SFM
module is classified as a G1 module.
When operating in Normal mode, the system uses fixed size cells
across
the backplane. When operating in
Turbo mode, the system uses variable size cells across the
backplane.
Turbo mode provides higher
performance since it is a more efficient mechanism of sending cells
across the backplane.
The system selects the operating mode for switch fabric modules at
startup, or when the first switch fabric or
interface module is installed. The system uses this mode for all
modules
that are subsequently installed.
hSFM modules will boot in Turbo mode only if all active interface
modules are G2 modules. In a chassis
loaded with G1 and G2 modules, the hSFM modules will default to
Normal mode.
If the system fabric mode is changed to Normal mode from Turbo mode,
or
vice versa, the system will not
change the current operating mode unless the chassis is reloaded.
The switch fabric modes have the following restrictions:
• The system blocks discovery of any standard switch fabric (G1)
module
if you have issued the
system-init block-g1-sfm command.
• If the system is operating in Turbo mode, standard switch fabric
modules (G1) and standard (G1) interface
modules are automatically blocked.
• If there are any active G1 switch fabric modules, G2 interface
modules
are blocked.
• If there are any active G2 interface modules, G1 switch fabric
modules
are blocked.
Since this is just a study guide, I'd ask a Brocade rep, just to be
sure.
Tamas
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