Fabric OS

{{Infobox OS | name = Fabric OS | developer = Broadcom | source_model = Closed source | supported_platforms = Broadcom Fibre Channel switches/directors | ui = Command-line interface | latest_release_version = 10.0.0a1 | latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|2026|05|06}} | working_state = Current | website = {{URL|broadcom.com/products/fibre-channel-networking/software/fabric-operating-system|FOS - Fabric Operating System}} }}

In storage area networking, '''Fabric OS''' (FOS) is the firmware for Brocade's Fibre Channel switches and directors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadcom.com/products/fibre-channel-networking|title = Broadcom Fibre Channel Networking}}</ref>

==First generation== The first generation of Fabric OS was developed on top of a VxWorks kernel and was mainly used in the Brocade Silkworm 2000 and first 3000 series on Intel i960.

==Second generation== The second generation of Fabric OS (4.0) was developed on a PowerPC platform, and uses MontaVista Linux, a Linux derivative with real-time performance enhancements. With the advent of MontaVista, switches and directors have the ability of hot firmware activation (without downtime for Fibre Channel fabric), and many useful diagnostic commands.

According to free software licenses terms, Brocade [http://www.brocade.com/services-support/drivers-downloads/oscd/oscd_listings.page provides access to sources] of distributed free software, on which Fabric OS and other Brocade's software products are based.

==Additional licensed products== Additional products for Fabric OS are offered by Brocade for one-time fee. They are licensed for use in a single specific switch (license key is coupled with device's serial number). Those include: * Integrated Routing * Adaptive Networking: Quality of service, Ingress Rate Limiting * Brocade Advanced Zoning (Free with rel 6.1.x) * ISL trunking * Ports on Demand * Extended Fabrics (more than 10 km of switched fabric connectivity, up to 3000 km) * Advanced Performance Monitoring (APM) * Fabric Watch * Secure Fabric OS (obsolete) * VMWare VSPEX integration <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/brocade-san-fabric-technologies-provide-solid-foundation-for-new-emc-vspex-with-vmax3-100k-infrastructure-solution-2015-05-05 |title=Brocade SAN Fabric Technologies Provide Solid Foundation for New EMC VSPEX with VMAX3 100K Infrastructure Solution - MarketWatch |access-date=2015-08-12 |archive-date=2015-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001174530/http://www.marketwatch.com/story/brocade-san-fabric-technologies-provide-solid-foundation-for-new-emc-vspex-with-vmax3-100k-infrastructure-solution-2015-05-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Versions==  {{mw-datatable}} {| class="wikitable sortable mw-datatable" |+ {{vanchor|Fabric OS current "''Posted''" versions}}<ref>[https://docs.broadcom.com/doc/Brocade-SW-Support-RM FOS Release Support and Posting Status Matrices (PDF)] - Version 2.27; Brocade-SW-Support-RM129; February 20, 2026</ref> !Major Version (Date) !Version !GA Date !Target Path !FICON Qualified !Posting Status !Notes |- | rowspan="2" {{Version|c|10.0.0x}} (September 2025) |10.0.0a1 |{{Date table sorting|May 6, 2026}} | |{{operational|Yes}} |Posted |rowspan="2" | Compatible only with Gen 7, and mandatory for Gen 8 platforms |- |10.0.0 |{{Date table sorting|September 22, 2025}} | | |Posted |- valign=top | colspan="7" | |- valign=top |- | rowspan="3" {{Version|co|9.2.2x}} (October 2024) |9.2.2c1 |{{Date table sorting|April 16, 2026}} |{{Yes}} |{{operational|Yes}} |Posted ('''LW''') | |- |9.2.2b |{{Date table sorting|September 23, 2025}} |{{Yes}} |{{operational|Yes}} |Posted ('''LW''') | |- |9.2.2a |{{Date table sorting|April 29, 2025}} |{{Yes}} |{{operational|Retired}} |Posted | |- valign=top | colspan="7" | |- valign=top | rowspan="1" {{Version|co|9.2.1x}} (December 2023) |9.2.1c3 |{{Date table sorting|January 21, 2026}} |{{Yes}} |{{operational|Yes}} |Posted | |- valign=top | colspan="7" | |- valign=top |{{Version|co|9.2.0x}} (April 2023) |9.2.0c5 |{{Date table sorting|January 21, 2026}} |{{Yes}} |{{operational|Retired}} |Posted | |- valign=top | colspan="7" | |- valign=top |{{Version|co|8.2.x}} (November 2017) |8.2.3f |{{Date table sorting|November 11, 2025}} |{{Yes}} |{{operational|Yes}} |Posted |Available for and supported on designated Gen 5 platforms only |-  | colspan="7" | {{Version |l |show=101100}} '''LW''' = ''Lifetime Warranty platforms'' |}

* Fabric OS 10 ** 10.0.0: * Fabric OS 9 ** 9.2.2: ** 9.2.1: ** 9.2.0: ** 9.1: Root Access Removal, NTP Server authentication ** 9.0: Traffic optimizer, Fabric congestion notification, New Web Tools (graphical UI switched from Java to Web) * Fabric OS 8 ** 8.2: NVMe capable + REST API ** 8.1: ** 8.0: Contains many new software features and enhancements as well as issue resolutions * Fabric OS 7 ** 7.4: Switch to Linux 3.10 kernel ** 7.3: ** 7.2: ** 7.1: ** 7.0: * Fabric OS 6 ** 6.4: ** 6.3: Fillwords 2 and 3 introduced in Fabric OS 6.3.1a ** 6.2: Virtual Fabrics-capable ** 6.1: M-EOS compatibility enhancements ** 6.0: LDAP support * Fabric OS 5 ** 5.3: Switch to Linux 2.6 kernel ** 5.2: ** 5.1: Access Gateway mode ** 5.0: * Fabric OS 4 ** 4.4: ** 4.3: ** 4.2: ** 4.1: SSH support, Multiple user access ** 4.0: migrated from VxWorks to Linux * Fabric OS 3 * Fabric OS 2

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.broadcom.com/products/fibre-channel-networking/software/fabric-operating-system FOS - Fabric Operating System] * [https://docs.broadcom.com/doc/Brocade-SW-Support-RM FOS Release Support and Posting Status Matrices](PDF) * [https://www.broadcom.com/products/fibre-channel-networking/ Brocade content on Broadcom website]

Category:Fibre Channel Category:Internet Protocol based network software