Cisco Cisco MDS 9000 10-Gbps 8-Port FCoE Module Scheda Tecnica
Data Sheet
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Cisco MDS 9000 10-Gbps 8-Port FCoE Module
Product Overview
Cisco
®
unified fabric is a crucial building block for both traditional and virtualized data centers. Cisco unified fabric
unifies storage and data networking with the data center operating system to deliver transparent convergence,
scalability, and network intelligence. With the Cisco MDS 9000 10-Gbps 8-Port FCoE Module (Figure 1), Cisco
introduces the industry’s first multihop-capable Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) module for the core data center
SAN. Now it is possible to extend the benefits of FCoE beyond the access layer into the core of the data center with
a full line-rate FCoE module for the Cisco MDS 9500 Series Multilayer Directors.
FCoE allows an evolutionary approach to I/O consolidation by preserving all Fibre Channel constructs, maintaining
the latency, security, and traffic management attributes of Fibre Channel while preserving investments in Fibre
Channel tools, training, and SANs. FCoE enables the preservation of Fibre Channel as the storage protocol in the
data center while giving customers a viable solution for I/O consolidation. It simplifies customer environments by
using Ethernet, allowing the industry to avoid creating a separate protocol for I/O consolidation. In addition, FCoE
extends Fibre Channel SAN connectivity; now 100 percent of the servers connected to the network can also be
attached to the SAN.
Figure 1. Cisco MDS 9000 10-Gbps 8-Port FCoE Module
Enterprise networks are growing rapidly, and data centers are struggling to manage power, cooling, and space. In
response, enterprises are looking for ways to extend the life of existing data centers to get the most from their
investments for years to come. The Cisco MDS 9000 10-Gbps 8-Port FCoE Module bridges the gap between the
traditional Fibre Channel SAN and the evolution to FCoE. Enterprises can reduce capital expenditures (CapEx) and
operating expenses (OpEx) in the data center by deploying FCoE while using the Cisco MDS 9000 10-Gbps 8-Port
FCoE Module to protect their investment in existing Fibre Channel SANs and Fibre Channel-attached storage.
The Power of Convergence
With the ongoing increase in server workloads, converged networks reduce complexity and provide lower overall
data center power consumption, extending the lifecycle of existing assets. Moreover, a converged network reduces
complexity and improves SAN attach rates, simplifying virtual machine mobility.
Enterprise customers have been waiting for a director-class FCoE platform, which is what they get with the Cisco
MDS 9000 10-Gbps 8-Port FCoE Module. With up to 88 ports of line-rate performance per chassis, simplified
deployment, and ease of configuration and management, the new module bridges the Fibre Channel and FCoE
worlds at the core layer (Figure 2).