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FortiGate-7000 Handbook

FIM-7901E interface module

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FIM-7901E interface module

The FIM-7901E interface module is a hot swappable module that provides data, management, and session sync/heartbeat interfaces, base backplane switching, and fabric backplane session-aware load balancing for a FortiGate-7000 series chassis. The FIM-7901E includes an integrated switch fabric and DP2 processors to load balance millions of data sessions over the chassis fabric backplane to FPM processor modules. The FIM-7901E also includes a 1Gbps base backplane channel for base backplane management communication with each FPM module in the chassis, one 40Gbps fabric backplane channel for fabric backplane communication with the FIM module(s) in the chassis, and a second 1Gbps base backplane channel for base backplane communication with the FIM module(s) in the chassis.

The FIM-7901E can be installed in any FortiGate-7000 series chassis in chassis hub/switch slots 1 or 2. The FIM-7901E provides thirty-two 10GigE small form-factor pluggable plus (SPF+) interfaces for a FortiGate-7000 chassis.

You can also install FIM-7901Es in a second chassis and operate the chassis in HA mode to provide chassis failover protection.

FIM-7901E front panel

FIM-7901E front panel interfaces

You connect the FIM-7901E to your 10Gbps networks using the A1 to A32 front panel SFP+ interfaces. The front panel also includes M1 and M2 SFP+ interfaces for the base channel, four Ethernet management interfaces (MGMT1 to MGMT4), and a USB port. The USB port can be used with any USB key for backing up and restoring configuration files.

Connector Type Speed Protocol Description
A1 to A32 SPF+ 10Gbps/1Gpbs Ethernet Thirty-two front panel 10GigE SFP+ fabric channel interfaces. These interfaces are connected to 10Gbps networks to distribute sessions to the FPM processor modules installed in chassis slots 3 and up. These interfaces can also be configured to operate as Gigabit Ethernet interfaces using SFP transceivers. These interfaces also support creating link aggregation groups (LAGs) that can include interfaces from both FIM-7901Es.
M1 and M2 SFP+ 10Gbps/1Gbps Ethernet Two front panel 10GigE SFP+ interfaces that connect to the base backplane channel. These interfaces are used for heartbeat, session sync, and management communication between FIM-7901Es in different chassis. These interfaces can also be configured to operate as Gigabit Ethernet interfaces using SFP transceivers, but should not normally be changed. If you use switches to connect these interfaces, the switch ports should be able to accept packets with a maximum frame size of at least 1526. The M1 and M2 interfaces need to be on different broadcast domains. If M1 and M2 are connected to the same switch, Q-in-Q must be enabled on the switch
MGMT1 to MGMT4 RJ-45 10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet Four 10/100/1000BASE-T copper out of band management Ethernet interfaces.
USB USB 3.0 Type A USB 3.0 USB 2.0 Standard USB connector.

FIM-7901E schematic

The FIM-7901E includes an integrated switch fabric (ISF) that connects the front panel interfaces to the DP2 session-aware load balancers and to the chassis backplanes. The ISF also allows the DP2 processors to distribute sessions among all NP6 processors on the FPM modules in the same chassis.

The FIM-7901E also includes the following backplane communication channels:

  • One 80Gbps fabric backplane channel to distribute traffic to the FPMs.
  • One 1Gbps base backplane channel for base backplane communication with the FPMs.
  • One 40Gbps fabric backplane channel for fabric backplane communication with the other FIM.
  • One 1Gbps base backplane channel for base backplane communication with the other FIM.
FIM-7901E hardware architecture

FIM-7901E interface module

The FIM-7901E interface module is a hot swappable module that provides data, management, and session sync/heartbeat interfaces, base backplane switching, and fabric backplane session-aware load balancing for a FortiGate-7000 series chassis. The FIM-7901E includes an integrated switch fabric and DP2 processors to load balance millions of data sessions over the chassis fabric backplane to FPM processor modules. The FIM-7901E also includes a 1Gbps base backplane channel for base backplane management communication with each FPM module in the chassis, one 40Gbps fabric backplane channel for fabric backplane communication with the FIM module(s) in the chassis, and a second 1Gbps base backplane channel for base backplane communication with the FIM module(s) in the chassis.

The FIM-7901E can be installed in any FortiGate-7000 series chassis in chassis hub/switch slots 1 or 2. The FIM-7901E provides thirty-two 10GigE small form-factor pluggable plus (SPF+) interfaces for a FortiGate-7000 chassis.

You can also install FIM-7901Es in a second chassis and operate the chassis in HA mode to provide chassis failover protection.

FIM-7901E front panel

FIM-7901E front panel interfaces

You connect the FIM-7901E to your 10Gbps networks using the A1 to A32 front panel SFP+ interfaces. The front panel also includes M1 and M2 SFP+ interfaces for the base channel, four Ethernet management interfaces (MGMT1 to MGMT4), and a USB port. The USB port can be used with any USB key for backing up and restoring configuration files.

Connector Type Speed Protocol Description
A1 to A32 SPF+ 10Gbps/1Gpbs Ethernet Thirty-two front panel 10GigE SFP+ fabric channel interfaces. These interfaces are connected to 10Gbps networks to distribute sessions to the FPM processor modules installed in chassis slots 3 and up. These interfaces can also be configured to operate as Gigabit Ethernet interfaces using SFP transceivers. These interfaces also support creating link aggregation groups (LAGs) that can include interfaces from both FIM-7901Es.
M1 and M2 SFP+ 10Gbps/1Gbps Ethernet Two front panel 10GigE SFP+ interfaces that connect to the base backplane channel. These interfaces are used for heartbeat, session sync, and management communication between FIM-7901Es in different chassis. These interfaces can also be configured to operate as Gigabit Ethernet interfaces using SFP transceivers, but should not normally be changed. If you use switches to connect these interfaces, the switch ports should be able to accept packets with a maximum frame size of at least 1526. The M1 and M2 interfaces need to be on different broadcast domains. If M1 and M2 are connected to the same switch, Q-in-Q must be enabled on the switch
MGMT1 to MGMT4 RJ-45 10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet Four 10/100/1000BASE-T copper out of band management Ethernet interfaces.
USB USB 3.0 Type A USB 3.0 USB 2.0 Standard USB connector.

FIM-7901E schematic

The FIM-7901E includes an integrated switch fabric (ISF) that connects the front panel interfaces to the DP2 session-aware load balancers and to the chassis backplanes. The ISF also allows the DP2 processors to distribute sessions among all NP6 processors on the FPM modules in the same chassis.

The FIM-7901E also includes the following backplane communication channels:

  • One 80Gbps fabric backplane channel to distribute traffic to the FPMs.
  • One 1Gbps base backplane channel for base backplane communication with the FPMs.
  • One 40Gbps fabric backplane channel for fabric backplane communication with the other FIM.
  • One 1Gbps base backplane channel for base backplane communication with the other FIM.
FIM-7901E hardware architecture