NetApp
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In the Ethernet Alliance demonstration at SC09, NetApp brings convergence-ready end-to-end 10GbE infrastructure based on the FCoE standard. This infrastructure enhances enterprises' ability to efficiently migrate to Ethernet and achieve capital and operational efficiencies and provides the ability to drive increased adoption of 10GbE in the data center.
Product(s) demonstrated in the Ethernet Alliance Booth:
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FCoE Shares the Wire with IP on NetApp Storage at Ethernet Alliance Exhibit
Jason Blosil, Product Marketing Manager, NetApp
As part of the SC09 Ethernet Alliance booth No 1259, NetApp will be participating in a multi-vendor demo to showcase the performance and efficiency of a unified and converged data center fabric using 10Gb Ethernet. Specifically, NetApp will be highlighting file and “block” storage network protocols running on a single unified 10Gb Ethernet wire, including Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI), and Network File System (NFS).
Enhancements to the Ethernet specification, defined as Data Center Bridging (DCB) by IEEE include features that enable lossless network characteristics. These lossless characteristics are necessary to support Fibre Channel traffic over an Ethernet physical transport. DCB allows for the prioritization of data traffic as well as congestion management to avoid the dropping of data packs over the network. DCB will also offer benefits to IP traffic by reducing congestion conflicts and supporting prioritized data traffic. As a result, DCB will offer the ability to share network bandwidth with multiple data types and protocols.
The focus of the NetApp demonstration is to show bandwidth allocation across multiple data types and protocols as well as show how the pause mechanism in DCB functions. NetApp will demonstrate iSCSI and NFS sharing bandwidth with FCoE traffic on the same wire using NetApp’s recently announced Unified Target Adapter configured in a FAS3000 storage system. iSCSI and NFS traffic will be set at priority 0 and FCoE traffic will be set at priority 3. Bandwidth at the target is set at 50/50 by default, but can be overridden by settings at the switch. The demonstration will show how modifying priority and bandwidth settings at the switch are reflected in settings changes at the storage system.
Moving to a unified 10Gb Ethernet fabric offers the ability to converge storage and data traffic on the same wire which reduces overall network infrastructure requirements, including cables and switch ports. FCoE compliments iSCSI to offer additional choice for “block” storage traffic. What is especially compelling is the support of native FC traffic over an Ethernet transport without using a tunneling protocol, like Internet Fibre Channel Protocol (iFCP) or Fibre Channel over IP (FCiP).
As IT departments look to improve the efficiency of their data centers, DCB with support for FCoE will offer improved efficiency by reducing the size of the network infrastructure. Moving traditional FC traffic off of a dedicated, parallel network to a shared 10Gb Ethernet network and unified storage system removes the requirement for single purpose switches, storage and redundant cabling for FC traffic alone. The reduction in switch infrastructure, storage and cabling not only lowers capital expenses, but reduces hardware foot print which results in lower power consumption and reduced airflow restrictions in order to improve overall data center efficiency.