Home > Integrated Products > VxBlock 1000 and 3-Tier Platform Reference Architectures > Guides > 3-Tier Platform Design Guide > Overview
This chapter describes the SAN network layer requirements and storage array components that are used in the 3-Tier Platform architecture.
Two Cisco MDS switches or directors provide connectivity between the compute layer and the storage layer.
Cisco UCS 4th and 5th generation FIs provide an FC port channel with one of the following connections:
The 32 Gbps connections require 32 Gbps SFPs and SAN ports. The Cisco MDS 9148T multilayer fabric switch supports eight connections from the Cisco UCS domain and up to two domains.
The Cisco MDS switches provide:
The Cisco MDS switches automatically negotiate the port speed based on the SFPs in the FIs. Front-end IOMs in the storage array connect to the Cisco MDS switches in the network layer over 32 Gbps FC links.