The difference between a fibre optic network card and a host bus adapter

In discussing this issue, a problem needs to be made clear: we know that in the early San storage system, the data transfer between the server and the switch was done through fiber, because the server was transferring SCSI commands to the storage device and not the IP protocol of the normal LAN network, so it needed to use FC transport. So the SAN is called Fc-san, and the late advent of the San with the IP protocol package, you can completely walk the normal LAN network, so called Ip-san, which is the most typical of the current hot iSCSI.

Both of these methods require heavy packet-unpack operations on the data blocks, so high-performance san systems need to be installed on the server with a dedicated solution to reduce the burden of the processor network card, which is called the HBA card, in addition to the implementation of the package, of course, can provide a fiber interface ( If it is a ISCSIHBA card is to provide a common RJ45 interface for the corresponding switch connection; In addition, the HBA physically you can plug it into a PCI or PCI-E slot as a network card, so the device is used very much like a card, Many people also confuse it with a normal network card or a common fiber optic network card. Of course, some Iscsihba cards can be used as a normal network card, but from the price to consider this is very luxurious.

The general definition of HBAs is the I/O adapter that connects the host I/O bus and the computer's memory system. According to this definition, like the video card is connected to the bus and memory, the network card is connected to the bus and memory, SCSI-FC card is connected to SCSI or FC bus and memory, they should be regarded as HBAs. HBA cards have Fc-hba and Iscsihba there will be other HBA cards in the future, but HBAs are usually used in SCSI. Adapter (adapters) and NICs are used for FC, and NICs are also used for Ethernet and Token Ring networks. (Computer science)

In fact, the network card is commonly referred to a type of equipment collectively, is installed in the host, through the network cable (twisted pair, fiber 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 connect , thus forming a network of hardware devices.

So, the fiber-optic network card is the name in the end is the fiber port HBA card?

In fact, the fiber-optic network card that you often refer to is the HBA card in the Fibre Channel networks.

Because of the different transmission protocol, the network card can be divided into three kinds, one is Ethernet cards, the other is FC network card, the third is iSCSI network card.

Ethernet Card: Scientific name Ethernetadapter, transport protocol for IP protocol, generally through fiber-optic cable or twisted-pair cable and Ethernet switch connection. The interface types are divided into light ports and electric ports. The optical port is generally through the fiber cable for data transmission, the interface module is generally SFP (transmission rate 2gb/s) and Gbic (1gb/s), the corresponding interface for SC, ST and LC. The current commonly used interface type is RJ45, used to connect with twisted pair, also have connection with coaxial cable, but now used relatively less.
FC Network card: Generally also known as fiber optic network card, scientific name Fibrechannelhba. The transport protocol is a fibre Channel protocol that is typically connected to a fibre Channel switch via a fibre optic cable. The interface types are divided into light ports and electric ports. Optical ports are generally transmitted through fiber optic cable, the interface module is generally SFP (transmission rate 2gb/s) and Gbic (1gb/s), the corresponding interface is SC and LC. The interface type of the electric port is generally DB9 needle or HSSDC.

iSCSI network adapters: The scientific name Iscsihba, the Transport iSCSI protocol, the interface type is the same as the Ethernet card.

Everyone said "Fiber optic network card" generally refers to the Fchba card, plugged in on the server, the external storage of the optical switch, and the optical port of the Ethernet card is generally called "Fiber Ethernet card", but also inserted in the server, but it is external with the optical port of the Ethernet switch.

Summarize:

In fact, these network cards are very good distinction, look at the table is clear:

HBA Card: Fc-hba card (commonly known as: Fiber optic network card), ISCSI-HBA card (RJ45 interface)

Ethernet Card: Ethernet Card for Fiber interface (commonly known as: Fiber Ethernet card)

However, these are all common sayings or idioms, there is a certain use of the environment. We recommend that you do not use the fiber-optic network card, but directly into the Fc-hba card, so that will not cause misunderstanding.