Cisco Cisco Nexus 2224TP GE Fabric Extender Merkblatt
The Next Generation of Converged Networking:
Fibre Channel over Ethernet Using 10GBASE-T
Fibre Channel over Ethernet Using 10GBASE-T
The City of Pforzheim, Germany, has a forward-looking IT division that has used
virtualization to simplify its data center while meeting the growing demands of city
operations. Building on that progress, the organization is now looking to better support
its virtualized infrastructure by combining the cost-effectiveness and simplicity of
converged LAN and storage traffic with the flexibility of 10GBASE-T.
virtualization to simplify its data center while meeting the growing demands of city
operations. Building on that progress, the organization is now looking to better support
its virtualized infrastructure by combining the cost-effectiveness and simplicity of
converged LAN and storage traffic with the flexibility of 10GBASE-T.
To modernize its data center, Pforzheim has used VMware vSphere* and Cisco
hardware such as Nexus* 5000 Series switches, achieving outstanding results. These
virtualization efforts have provided server consolidation that allows for growing
application demands to be supported cost-effectively. The city’s IT organization has also
simplified its environment and realized cost savings by unifying its LAN and storage
fabrics using Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE). This approach provides dependable,
high-performance access to storage, providing robust support for virtualized usage
models based on live migration of virtual machines between physical hosts.
hardware such as Nexus* 5000 Series switches, achieving outstanding results. These
virtualization efforts have provided server consolidation that allows for growing
application demands to be supported cost-effectively. The city’s IT organization has also
simplified its environment and realized cost savings by unifying its LAN and storage
fabrics using Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE). This approach provides dependable,
high-performance access to storage, providing robust support for virtualized usage
models based on live migration of virtual machines between physical hosts.
After meeting with Intel engineers at Cisco Live! in 2012, Pforzheim IT decided to
test 10GBASE-T with FCoE, using Cisco Nexus 2000 Series fabric extenders and Intel®
Ethernet Converged Network Adapters X540-T2. This combination of technologies and
products from Intel and Cisco for FCoE over 10GBASE-T proved itself in the Pforzheim IT
lab, delivering outstanding performance at lower costs than a comparable Fibre Channel
installation. The City of Pforzheim plans to move forward with this topology in its
production environment.
test 10GBASE-T with FCoE, using Cisco Nexus 2000 Series fabric extenders and Intel®
Ethernet Converged Network Adapters X540-T2. This combination of technologies and
products from Intel and Cisco for FCoE over 10GBASE-T proved itself in the Pforzheim IT
lab, delivering outstanding performance at lower costs than a comparable Fibre Channel
installation. The City of Pforzheim plans to move forward with this topology in its
production environment.
Challenges
• Drive down data center costs and complexity, even as the demands placed on
IT continue to grow.
• set the stage for a smooth, gradual transition from existing solutions while
positioning the environment for continuing future growth.
solutions
• intel® ethernet Converged network adapters and Cisco nexus switches
unify LAN and storage traffic on a single 10 Gigabit Ethernet fabric.
• Fibre Channel over ethernet (FCoe) using 10gBase-t represents a novel
combination made possible by products and technologies from Intel and Cisco.
results
• Met or exceeded Fibre Channel performance at low cost, without dedicated
Fibre Channel switches and adapters.
• Delivered flexible solution and upgrade path, including cabling backwards-
compatibility, native FCoE initiator support, and a rich industry ecosystem.
Case stuDy
intel® ethernet Converged network adapters
10gBase-t Fibre Channel over ethernet
City of Pforzheim, Germany
intel® ethernet Converged network adapters
10gBase-t Fibre Channel over ethernet
City of Pforzheim, Germany