The DAE2 (2-gigabit disk-array enclosure) is a highly available, high-performance, high-capacity storage system that uses a Fiber Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) as its interconnect interface. An enclosure connects to another DAE2 or a storage processor, and is managed by storage-system software in RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disk) configurations. The enclosure is only 3U (5.25 inches) high, but can include 15 hard disk drives. Its modular, scalable design provides additional disk storage as your needs increase. The DAE2 can support up to fifteen 3.5-inch, Fiber Channel disk modules. It uses the Fiber Channel interface to connect disk modules together. Simple serial cabling provides easy scalability. You can interconnect as many as eight DAE2s to Fiber Channel loops (sometimes called busses) to form a large disk storage system. The number of loops depends on the capabilities of your storage processor; highly available configurations require at least two loops, other configurations use a single loop. You can place the disk enclosures in the same cabinet, or in one or more separate cabinets.