N10-009 Question 99
Single answerTransceivers Protocol: Ethernet, Fibre Channel (FC)A storage administrator is connecting a new Fibre Channel SAN switch to a server equipped with a dual-port host bus adapter (HBA). The HBA currently has 10GbE SFP+ transceivers installed from a previous Ethernet deployment. The FC switch ports are configured for 16 Gbps Fibre Channel and use SFP+ form-factor optics. When the administrator connects the fiber patch cable, the link does not come up. Which action should the technician take FIRST to restore connectivity?
- A
Replace the 10GbE SFP+ modules in the server HBA with 16 Gbps Fibre Channel SFP+ transceivers that are supported by the HBA and switch
- B
Change the FC switch port speed to auto-negotiate down to 10 Gbps so it can match the Ethernet transceiver
- C
Replace the multimode fiber patch cable with Cat 6a copper cabling because 10GbE and 16 Gbps FC both support high-speed data transfer
- D
Configure a VLAN on the FC switch port so the Ethernet SFP+ can pass storage traffic over the SAN fabric
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The key troubleshooting point is that transceiver form factor does not guarantee protocol compatibility. SFP+ describes the physical module style, but the transceiver must also match the signaling standard and protocol used by the device port. Ethernet SFP+ optics are intended for Ethernet interfaces, while Fibre Channel SFP+ optics are intended for FC HBAs and FC switches. In SAN deployments, administrators should verify transceiver type, supported speed, wavelength, fiber type, and vendor compatibility with the HBA and switch hardware compatibility list. This aligns with common vendor guidance from FC switch and HBA manufacturers, which emphasizes using supported FC optics for Fibre Channel ports and not assuming Ethernet optics will function in FC environments.
- A. Correct.
Correct. Although both modules may use the SFP+ form factor, Ethernet and Fibre Channel transceivers are not interchangeable protocols. A 10GbE SFP+ is designed for Ethernet signaling, while a 16 Gbps FC SFP+ is designed for Fibre Channel signaling and SAN operation. In practice, the technician should install FC-compatible optics that are supported by both the HBA and the FC switch. Matching the protocol and supported speed is the first step to bringing the link up.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Fibre Channel ports do not negotiate with Ethernet optics because the issue is not just speed; it is protocol incompatibility. A 10GbE Ethernet transceiver cannot operate as a Fibre Channel transceiver simply by lowering or adjusting port speed. This option reflects the common misconception that identical form factors imply cross-protocol compatibility.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Fibre Channel SAN links using SFP+ optics typically run over fiber, not Cat 6a copper patching in this scenario. Also, copper Ethernet cabling would not solve the protocol mismatch between Ethernet and FC transceivers. This distractor targets the misconception that any high-speed medium can be substituted if bandwidth appears similar.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. VLANs are an Ethernet Layer 2 concept and do not make an Ethernet transceiver compatible with a Fibre Channel switch port. Native Fibre Channel fabrics use SAN-specific concepts such as zoning rather than VLANs for traffic segmentation. This option is plausible to candidates who confuse Ethernet switching features with FC SAN behavior.