Brocade VDX 6730 BR-VDX6730-16-R Data Sheet
Product codes
BR-VDX6730-16-R
Unique VCS Fabric Features for
High-Performance Data Centers
The Brocade VDX 6730 with Brocade VCS
Fabric technology provides the following
unique features for building access-layer
fabrics optimized for the needs of
modern workloads:
Fabric technology provides the following
unique features for building access-layer
fabrics optimized for the needs of
modern workloads:
• Elastic, self-healing fabrics: Brocade
VCS fabrics are self-forming and self-
healing, providing a highly resilient,
operationally scalable foundation for very
large or dynamic cloud deployments.
Multi-node fabrics can be managed as
a single logical element, and fabrics can
be deployed and easily re-deployed in a
variety of configurations optimized to the
needs of particular workloads.
healing, providing a highly resilient,
operationally scalable foundation for very
large or dynamic cloud deployments.
Multi-node fabrics can be managed as
a single logical element, and fabrics can
be deployed and easily re-deployed in a
variety of configurations optimized to the
needs of particular workloads.
• Efficient multipathing across Layers 1-3:
With Network OS 3.0, Brocade VCS Fabric
technology delivers efficiently load-
balanced multipathing at Layers 1-3, with
multiple Layer 3 gateways. The result is
very elastic Layer 2 and Layer 3 domains
with more effective link utilization and,
ultimately, a more flexible, agile network
that helps organizations rapidly adapt to
changing business conditions.
technology delivers efficiently load-
balanced multipathing at Layers 1-3, with
multiple Layer 3 gateways. The result is
very elastic Layer 2 and Layer 3 domains
with more effective link utilization and,
ultimately, a more flexible, agile network
that helps organizations rapidly adapt to
changing business conditions.
• Lowest power consumption: The
Brocade VDX 6730 provides the
industry’s lowest power consumption
in a port-dense, 2U form factor—
imperative in today’s data centers.
industry’s lowest power consumption
in a port-dense, 2U form factor—
imperative in today’s data centers.
• Scale-out solution for virtualized data
centers:
VCS fabrics enable dynamic,
large-scale server virtualization
deployments in private and public clouds
with proven zero-touch VM discovery,
network configuration, and VM mobility.
deployments in private and public clouds
with proven zero-touch VM discovery,
network configuration, and VM mobility.
• Local switching: The Brocade VDX 6730
delivers high performance for intra-
rack traffic in virtualized environments,
providing ultra-low latency of 600
nanoseconds for the same ASIC on the
switch. This helps organizations design
a network with no oversubscription for
deterministic network performance and
improved application response times,
making the Brocade VDX 6730 ideal for
performance-demanding environments.
rack traffic in virtualized environments,
providing ultra-low latency of 600
nanoseconds for the same ASIC on the
switch. This helps organizations design
a network with no oversubscription for
deterministic network performance and
improved application response times,
making the Brocade VDX 6730 ideal for
performance-demanding environments.
ETHERNET STORAGE CONNECTIVITY
The Brocade VDX 6730 connects to FCoE,
iSCSI, and NAS storage, and includes Fibre
Channel ports for connectivity to Brocade
Fibre Channel SAN fabrics. The Brocade
VDX 6730 helps protect existing SAN
iSCSI, and NAS storage, and includes Fibre
Channel ports for connectivity to Brocade
Fibre Channel SAN fabrics. The Brocade
VDX 6730 helps protect existing SAN
investments by bridging SAN fabrics and
Ethernet fabrics. The native Fibre channel
ports and FCoE can be turned on with an
add-on software license.
Ethernet fabrics. The native Fibre channel
ports and FCoE can be turned on with an
add-on software license.
Server and Storage Virtualization
Automation Support
Brocade VCS Fabric technology offers unique
features to support virtualized server and
storage environments. Brocade VM-aware
network automation, for example, provides
secure connectivity and full visibility to
virtualized server resources with dynamic
learning and activation of port profiles. By
communicating directly with VMware vCenter,
it eliminates manual configuration of port
profiles and supports VM mobility across
VCS fabrics within a data center.
features to support virtualized server and
storage environments. Brocade VM-aware
network automation, for example, provides
secure connectivity and full visibility to
virtualized server resources with dynamic
learning and activation of port profiles. By
communicating directly with VMware vCenter,
it eliminates manual configuration of port
profiles and supports VM mobility across
VCS fabrics within a data center.
During a VM migration, network switch ports
must be dynamically configured to ensure that
the VM traffic experiences consistent policies
and configurations (see Figure 2). The
Brocade Automatic Migration of Port Profiles
(AMPP) feature enables a seamless migration.
Port profiles and MAC address mapping
are created on any switch in the fabric.
This mapping provides the logical flow for
traffic from the source port to the destination
port. As a VM migrates, the destination
port in the fabric learns of the MAC move
and automatically activates the port
profile configuration.
must be dynamically configured to ensure that
the VM traffic experiences consistent policies
and configurations (see Figure 2). The
Brocade Automatic Migration of Port Profiles
(AMPP) feature enables a seamless migration.
Port profiles and MAC address mapping
are created on any switch in the fabric.
This mapping provides the logical flow for
traffic from the source port to the destination
port. As a VM migrates, the destination
port in the fabric learns of the MAC move
and automatically activates the port
profile configuration.
In addition to providing protection against VM
MAC spoofing, VM-aware network automation
and AMPP enable organizations to fully align
virtual server and network infrastructure
resources, and realize the full benefits of
server virtualization.
MAC spoofing, VM-aware network automation
and AMPP enable organizations to fully align
virtual server and network infrastructure
resources, and realize the full benefits of
server virtualization.
PROACTIVE MONITORING
Brocade Fabric Watch is an innovative
switch health monitoring feature available
on the Brocade VDX 6730. Fabric Watch
monitors the health of certain switch
components and, based on the threshold
set, declares each component as marginal
or down.
switch health monitoring feature available
on the Brocade VDX 6730. Fabric Watch
monitors the health of certain switch
components and, based on the threshold
set, declares each component as marginal
or down.
EASE OF USE AUGMENTED BY
BROCADE NETWORK ADVISOR
Brocade Network Advisor is an easy-to-
use network management platform for
advanced management of Brocade VCS
fabrics and Brocade VDX switches across
the entire network life cycle. Organizations
can use Brocade Network Advisor to
manage a VCS fabric as a single entity or
to drill down to individual Brocade VDX
use network management platform for
advanced management of Brocade VCS
fabrics and Brocade VDX switches across
the entire network life cycle. Organizations
can use Brocade Network Advisor to
manage a VCS fabric as a single entity or
to drill down to individual Brocade VDX
switches for fault, inventory, or performance
management—and to manage multiple VCS
fabrics in parallel. More important, Brocade
Network Advisor manages both SAN and
IP networks, and can be used to do zoning
across Brocade VDX switches and Fibre
Channel SANs.
management—and to manage multiple VCS
fabrics in parallel. More important, Brocade
Network Advisor manages both SAN and
IP networks, and can be used to do zoning
across Brocade VDX switches and Fibre
Channel SANs.
Brocade Network Advisor also provides
simplified management of AMPP
configurations, and integrity checks can be
performed across physical Brocade VDX
configurations, either in the same fabric
or across different VCS fabrics. In addition,
Brocade Network Advisor enables VM-level
monitoring and can help identify top-talker
applications leveraging sFlow across the
fabric. Finally, Brocade Network Advisor
provides VCS fabric diagnostics, including
visualization of VCS fabric traffic paths and
network latency monitoring that enables
fault isolation via hop-by-hop inspection.
For details, visit
simplified management of AMPP
configurations, and integrity checks can be
performed across physical Brocade VDX
configurations, either in the same fabric
or across different VCS fabrics. In addition,
Brocade Network Advisor enables VM-level
monitoring and can help identify top-talker
applications leveraging sFlow across the
fabric. Finally, Brocade Network Advisor
provides VCS fabric diagnostics, including
visualization of VCS fabric traffic paths and
network latency monitoring that enables
fault isolation via hop-by-hop inspection.
For details, visit
BROCADE GLOBAL SERVICES
Brocade Global Services has the expertise
to help organizations build scalable,
efficient cloud infrastructures. Leveraging
15 years of expertise in storage, networking,
and virtualization, Brocade Global Services
delivers world-class professional services,
technical support, and education services,
enabling organizations to maximize their
Brocade investments, accelerate new
technology deployments, and optimize the
performance of networking infrastructures.
to help organizations build scalable,
efficient cloud infrastructures. Leveraging
15 years of expertise in storage, networking,
and virtualization, Brocade Global Services
delivers world-class professional services,
technical support, and education services,
enabling organizations to maximize their
Brocade investments, accelerate new
technology deployments, and optimize the
performance of networking infrastructures.
CLOUD-OPTIMIZED NETWORK
ACQUISITION
Brocade helps organizations easily address
their information technology requirements
by offering flexible network acquisition and
support alternatives to meet their financial
needs. Organizations can select from
purchase, lease, and Brocade Network
Subscription options to align network
acquisition with their unique capital
requirements and risk profiles. To
learn more, visit
their information technology requirements
by offering flexible network acquisition and
support alternatives to meet their financial
needs. Organizations can select from
purchase, lease, and Brocade Network
Subscription options to align network
acquisition with their unique capital
requirements and risk profiles. To
learn more, visit
.
MAXIMIZING INVESTMENTS
To help optimize technology investments,
Brocade and its partners offer complete
solutions that include professional services,
technical support, and education. For more
information, contact a Brocade sales
partner or visit
Brocade and its partners offer complete
solutions that include professional services,
technical support, and education. For more
information, contact a Brocade sales
partner or visit