NetApp ACP Cabling

General Information:

• ACP = Alternate Control Path
  • Recommended to use with SAS 6Gbps shelves
  • Not used with new SAS 12 Gbps shelves
• Only one type of cable
  • Red with one square end and one circle end
• With ACP ports you can consider square ACP port as “In” port and circle ACP port as “Out” port (not the case with SAS ports where there is no concept of “In” or “Out” ports)

Shapes:

• Generic ACP Pri L & ACP Pri R variants
  • Normally only these cables are used to connect controllers to ready-made stacks
  • Or if you have more than one SAS stack, then this cable is used to connect SAS stacks
• Shelf-to-shelf for DS2246
  • Used to build ready-made stacks
  • Not typically used, only required for building stacks
• Shelf-to-shelf for DS4246
  • Used to build ready-made stacks
  • Not typically used, only required for building stacks
  • requires different routing than DS2246 ACP cabling
  • Also used with DS4486 shelves

Screenshot: ACP Cable Shapes in Visio Shapes Window

Cabling Instructions:

• ACP cables are daisy chained in following order:
  • Node1 -> stack1 -> stack2 -> stack n -> Node2
• If you are running out of space, it is okay to run ACP cables on top of controllers or shelves since red is quite bright color or between SAS cable groups

Node1 to First SAS Stack ACP cabling:

• Cable connects to “locked wrench” port on controllers
• Use “Circle” end for controller
• “Square” end should connect to the “Square” port on first shelf of first stack

Screenshot: Node1 ACP Cabling

Shelf-to-Shelf ACP cabling:

• If using ready made SAS stacks shelf-to-shelf ACP cables are already in place
• Only used to build SAS stacks

Stack-to-Stack ACP cabling:

• If your solution has multiple SAS stacks you need to daisy-chain the stacks together with ACP cables
• Run ACP cable from IOMB “Circle” port of the last shelf of the stack
  • Use “Circle” cable end for outgoing ACP cable
• Connect “Square” end of ACP cable to IOAM “Square” port of the first shelf of next stack
• Repeat as required

Last SAS Stack to Node2 Cabling:

• To complete the daisy-chain
• Connect ACP cable with “Circle” end to the “Circle” IOMB port on the last shelf of the last stack
• Connect the other end of the cable with “Square” end to Node2 “Locked Wrench” port

Screenshot: Node2 ACP cabling

Example: ACP cables in a three shelf SAS DS2246 Stack

• First shelf is on top
  • IOMA “Square” port has no cable
  • Node1 will connect cable here
• The stack is cabled with shelf-to-shelf cables
  • First all IOMA ACP ports are daisy chained
  • From the last shelf daisy chain IOMA “Circle” port to the first shelf IOMB “Square” port
  • Daisy chain remaining ACP ports on IOMB modules
• The IOMB “Circle” port on the last shelf of the stack has no cable
  • Run ACP cable from this port to Node2 “Locked Wrench” port

Update 22.11.2016

• Changed end shape for ACP cables, see notes for more info