This month only – get free shipping with no minimum purchase! Shop now
Open
This article is for informational purposes only and no longer being updated by Seagate.

How do I connect a Fibre Channel drive to my desktop PC?

Installing a Fibre Channel drive in a PC is not recommended, but this article gives instructions.
Seagate offers many hard drive models with the Fibre Channel (FC) interface. These drives will have a model number ending in FC (e.g., ST39102FC) and come with a standard Fibre Channel 40-pin SCA connector.

Although Fibre Channel drives use the SCSI command language, they require a special Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter controller. Seagate Fibre Channel drives are designed to be installed into an enclosure using a backplane that accepts the 40-pin SCA connector. To install a Fibre Channel device without using the appropriate enclosure/backplane, an adapter kit is necessary. This adapter kit will convert the 40-pin SCA connector to a connection with separate interface and power connectors. These kits are only intended to evaluate and demonstrate the Fibre Channel drives themselves, and the adapters do not represent an acceptable means of installing drives for a commercial application. The adapter will provide full 100 MBs throughput on the loop, and adapters are now available for the newer 200 MBs (2 Gigahertz) FC applications.

Minimum Requirements:

Fibre Channel Controller
Many companies offer Fibre Channel host adapters. The most common connectors for output used by Fibre Channel controllers are DB9 or High Speed Serial Device Connector (HSSDC).

Adapter, 40-pin SCA to Twin-Ax 3-pin
Fibre Channel adapters are available from CS Electronics (949-475-9100, http://www.cs-electronics.com ).


Cabling between Controller and Adapter
An external cable is needed to attach the Fibre Channel host adapter to the Twin-Ax 3-pin connectors on the adapter. This cable is available from CS Electronics (949-475-9100, http://www.cs-electronics.com ). This cable may only be available in segments; one segment HSSDC to DB9 male, and one segment DB9 female to two Twin-Ax 3-pin connectors. One cable or cable set is required per host adapter.


Additional Drives
Multiple drives can be connected together to form a continuous loop. One adapter kit is needed per drive. Interconnections between drives on the loop are made with the interconnect cables included with the adapter kit. The 2 Gigahertz adapter kits do not contain interconnect cables, and these must be purchased separately if needed.

REFERENCE TO THIRD PARTIES AND THIRD PARTY WEB SITES. Seagate references third parties and third party products as an informational service only, it is not an endorsement or recommendation - implied or otherwise - of any of the listed companies. Seagate makes no warranty - implied or otherwise - regarding the performance or reliability of these companies or products. Each company listed is independent from Seagate and is not under the control of Seagate; therefore, Seagate accepts no responsibility for and disclaims any liability from the actions or products of the listed companies. You should make your own independent evaluation before conducting business with any company. To obtain product specifications and warranty information, please contact the respective vendor directly. There are links in this document that will permit you to connect to third-party web sites over which Seagate has no control. These links are provided for your convenience only and your use of them is at your own risk. Seagate makes no representations whatsoever about the content of any of these web sites. Seagate does not endorse or accept any responsibility for the content, or use, of any such web sites.