To enable native IP replication, SAN Volume Controller/Storwize implements the Bridgeworks SANSlide network optimization technology. For more information about this solution, see IBM SAN Volume Controller and Storwize Family Native IP Replication , REDP-5103. 

## 1.6 Tape and disk traffic that share the SAN 

If you have free ports on your core switch, you can place tape devices (and their associated backup servers) on the SAN Volume Controller/Storwize SAN. However, do not put tape and disk traffic on the same FC HBA. 

Do not put tape ports and backup servers on different switches. Modern tape devices have high-bandwidth requirements. Placing tape ports and backup servers on different switches can quickly lead to SAN congestion over the ISL between the switches. 

## 1.7 Switch interoperability 

SAN Volume Controller/Storwize is flexible as far as switch vendors are concerned. All of the node connections on a particular SAN Volume Controller/Storwize clustered system must go to the switches of a single vendor. That is, you must not have several nodes or node ports plugged into vendor A and several nodes or node ports plugged into vendor B. 

SAN Volume Controller/Storwize supports some combinations of SANs that are made up of switches from multiple vendors in the same SAN. However, this approach is not preferred in practice. Despite years of effort, interoperability among switch vendors is less than ideal because FC standards are not rigorously enforced. Interoperability problems between switch vendors are notoriously difficult and disruptive to isolate. Also, it can take a long time to obtain a fix. For these reasons, run only multiple switch vendors in the same SAN long enough to migrate from one vendor to another vendor, if this setup is possible with your hardware. 

You can run a mixed-vendor SAN if you have agreement from both switch vendors that they fully support attachment with each other. 

Interoperability between Cisco switches and Brocade switches is not recommended, except during fabric migrations, and then only if you have a back-out plan in place. Also, when connecting BladeCenter switches to a core switch, consider the use of the N-Port ID Virtualization (NPIV) technology. 

When you have SAN fabrics with multiple vendors, pay special attention to any particular requirements. For example, observe from which switch in the fabric the zoning must be performed. 

