The difference between fiber network card and HBA card | Optcore

In the early SAN storage system, the server and switch data transmission is through the optical fiber. Because the server is to transfer SCSI commands to the storage device, you can not use the ordinary LAN IP protocol, so you need to use FC transmission, and this SAN is called FC-SAN, and later appeared in the IP protocol encapsulated SAN, can be completed through the ordinary LAN network, so-called IP-SAN, the most typical of which is now popular ISCSI.

Both of these methods require a heavy read-pack operation on the data block. Therefore, a high-performance SAN system requires a network card installed on the server that is specifically responsible for unpacking to reduce the burden on the processor. Such a network card is called It HBA card. In addition to performing the unpacking function, of course, it can also provide a fiber interface (if it is an iSCSI HBA card is to provide a common RJ45 interface) to connect the corresponding switch; In addition, HBA can also be the same as a network card inserted in the PCI or PCI-E slot. Therefore, the usage of this device is like a network card, and many people confuse it with an ordinary network card or an ordinary fiber network card. Of course, some iSCSI HBA card can be used as a normal network card, but the price is very high.

The HBA’s definition

HBA is the I/O adapter that connects the host I/O bus to the computer’s memory system. According to this definition, like a video card is connected to the video bus and memory, the network card is connected to the network bus and memory, SCSI-FC card is connected to the SCSI or FC bus and memory, they should be regarded as HBA. There are other HBA cards available for HBA cards FC-HBA and iSCSI HBA in the future, however, HBA is commonly used on SCSI. Adapter and NIC are for FC; NIC is also used for Ethernet and Token Ring.

In fact, the network card is commonly referred to as a general term for a type of equipment, refers to the installation in the host, through the network cable (twisted pair, fiber optic cable, coaxial cable, etc.) and network switches (Ethernet switches, FC switches , ISCSI switches, etc.), or with other network devices (storage devices, servers, workstations, etc.) to form a networked hardware device.

So, the name of the fiber network card is referring to the optical port HBA card?

In fact, we often say that the fiber-optic network card refers to the Fiber Channel network HBA card. Due to the different transmission protocols, the network card can be divided into three kinds, one Ethernet card, the second is the FC network card, the third is the iSCSI network card.

• Ethernet Card: The name of the Ethernet Adapter. The transmission protocol is IP. It is usually connected to an Ethernet switch through fiber optic cables or twisted cables. The interface type is divided into optical port and electrical port. The optical interfaces generally transmit data through optical fiber cables. The interface modules are generally SFP (2Gb / s) and GBIC (1Gb / s). The corresponding interfaces are SC, ST, and LC. The electrical port currently used interface type RJ45, used to connect the twisted pair, there are also connected with the coaxial cable interface, but now has less used.
• FC network card: also commonly called fiber channel network card, stand for Fiber Channel HBA. The transmission protocol is a Fibre Channel protocol, which is typically connected to a Fiber Channel switch via a fiber optic cable. The interface type is divided into optical port and electrical port. The optical interfaces generally transmit data through optical fiber cables. The interface modules are generally SFP (transmission rate of 2Gb / s) and GBIC (1Gb / s), and the corresponding interfaces are SC and LC. The electrical interface type is generally DB9 pin or HSSDC.
• iSCSI NIC: The name of iSCSI HBA, which transports the iSCSI protocol, with the same interface type as the Ethernet card.

Conclusion

“Fiber NIC” generally refers to an FC HBA card, which can be plugged into a server and used as a storage switch for external storage. The Ethernet card of an optical interface is generally called a “Fiber Ethernet card” and is plugged into a server. However, an external Ethernet switch with the fiber port.

HBA card: FC-HBA card (commonly known as fiber network card), iSCSI-HBA card (RJ45 interface)

Ethernet card: Ethernet interface card (commonly known as Fiber Ethernet card).