Cisco Cisco Nexus 5010 Switch Guida Informativa
Customer Case Study
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Boeing Defense, Space, and Security Division
relies on Cisco to deliver both FCoE and IP
over a single, cost-effective infrastructure.
Challenge
A division of the world’s largest aerospace company, Boeing Defense, Space, and Security
(BDS) provides end-to-end services for large-scale systems that enhance defense
and security platforms for global military, government, and commercial customers. BDS
supports a diverse range of customers, including the U.S. Army, the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC), and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). In addition to
manufacturing aircraft and rockets, BDS is developing enhanced capabilities through
network-enabled solutions, including communications, intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance technologies.
(BDS) provides end-to-end services for large-scale systems that enhance defense
and security platforms for global military, government, and commercial customers. BDS
supports a diverse range of customers, including the U.S. Army, the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC), and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). In addition to
manufacturing aircraft and rockets, BDS is developing enhanced capabilities through
network-enabled solutions, including communications, intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance technologies.
The BDS IT team needs to provide clients with high-performance technical computing and
SAN environments. Some of the proprietary program environments it provides require 24x7
operations and the highest availability possible. To support its large, integrated IT program,
Boeing operates a data center infrastructure with a mix of Oracle SPARC servers on a Fibre
Channel (FC) network and Intel servers on a 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) network.
SAN environments. Some of the proprietary program environments it provides require 24x7
operations and the highest availability possible. To support its large, integrated IT program,
Boeing operates a data center infrastructure with a mix of Oracle SPARC servers on a Fibre
Channel (FC) network and Intel servers on a 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) network.
When the global recession hit the aerospace industry in 2010, BDS came under extreme
pressure to cut costs. “We didn’t have the funds to continue operating in the same way,”
says technology fellow, Dennis Kuehn. “To meet our users’ growing needs, we were
adding more servers, yet each server port cost was $3000 with previous systems. This
was clearly unsustainable.”
pressure to cut costs. “We didn’t have the funds to continue operating in the same way,”
says technology fellow, Dennis Kuehn. “To meet our users’ growing needs, we were
adding more servers, yet each server port cost was $3000 with previous systems. This
was clearly unsustainable.”
Boeing Boosts Network Performance While
Reducing Costs
• Customer Name: Boeing Defense,
Space, and Security Division
• Industry: Aerospace
• Location: Seattle, Washington
• Number of Employees: 64,000
• Location: Seattle, Washington
• Number of Employees: 64,000
Challenge
• Maintain performance of mission-
critical production environment
• Run FC and IP across the
same interface and maintain
high performance
• Provide I/O in each physical server
for 30 virtual guest domains on both
FCoE and 10GbE networks
Solution
• Cisco FCoE solutions enable high-
density, high-speed, and low-
latency consolidated networks
Results
• Improved performance 20 percent
by transitioning to converged
network
• Reduced deployment times for each
new server by 25%
• Boosted IP performance by up to
30 percent, saved 35% in capital
expenses, and cut 90% of power
costs
Executive Summary