## 5.2.1 FC direct attachment to host systems 

The Storwize V5000 supports direct attachment connectivity between its FC ports and host ports. Host systems can connect to 16 Gb FC ports on the Storwize V5000. No special configuration is required for host systems that use this configuration. 

## 5.2.2 FC direct attachment between nodes in a Storwize V5000 system 

Direct connection of the Storwize V5000 FC ports without the use of an FC switch is supported. Such connections between the Storwize V5000 nodes might be useful in small configurations where no FC switch exists. It can also be used to connect nodes in the same input/output (I/O) group to provide a dedicated connection for mirroring the fast write cache data. Ensure that sufficient bandwidth is provisioned between nodes to accommodate all of the intra-node traffic. 

The Storwize V5000 Gen2 supports 16 Gb Fibre Channel ports and FC direct attachment on all 16 Gb ports. 

## 5.3 Preparing the host operating system 

Note:  Be careful about the maximum length of the FC links in this configuration. 

The following steps are required to prepare a host to connect to the Storwize V5000: 

1. Ensure that the latest supported system updates are applied to your host operating system. 

2. Ensure that the HBAs are physically installed in the host. 

3. Ensure that the latest supported HBA firmware and driver levels are installed in your host. 

4. Configure the HBA parameters. Although settings are provided for each host operating system in the following sections, review the Storwize V5000 IBM Knowledge Center to obtain the latest supported settings. 

5. Configure the host I/O parameters, such as the disk I/O timeout value. 

6. Install and configure multipath software. 

7. Determine the host worldwide port names (WWPNs). 

8. Connect the HBA ports to switches by using the correct cables, or directly attach to the ports on the IBM Storwize V5000. 

9. Configure the switches, if applicable. 

10.Configure SAN Boot (optional). 

## 5.3.1 Windows 2008 R2 and 2012 R2: Preparing for FC attachment 

Complete the following steps to prepare a Windows 2008 R2 or Windows 2012 R2 host to connect to an IBM Storwize V5000 by using FC: 

1. Ensure that the current operating system service pack and test fixes are applied to your server. 

2. Use the current firmware and driver levels on your host system. 

