The next generation of Ethernet not only accommodates the relentless growth of data traffic in today’s IT data centers, but also expands Ethernet’s traditional role. By gaining capability to interconnect clusters and IP SANs,10 Gigabit Ethernet offers to run the whole data center over the same network.
Overview
The enterprise data center’s servers the back end, database servers generate commonly are organized in three tiers – web servers, application servers, and database servers.
Web servers generate high LAN traffic, including NAS traffic on the LAN. Application servers generate relatively modest LAN traffic. Depending on the form a storage netw ork as well. applications, they’re often clustered and require high band width for IPC traffic. At the back end database servers generate high SAN traffic, and, if clustered, also high IPC traffic.
All are LAN connected; the application servers are often also interconnected with a cluster fabric; and the database servers also have their ow n cluster fabric, and forma storage network as well.
The Challenge
Parallel networks for different purposes
Enter10 GigabitEthernet
In addition to the 10x bandw idth speedup, 10 Gigabit Ethernet facilitates absorbing other data center networks -the SAN and the cluster fabric.
In addition, 10G bE protocol engines for servers also support iSCSIand socket upper layer interfaces, enlarging the role that sw itched Ethernet can play. Meeting the low -latency and low -CPU overhead requirements forSANs, and cluster fabics, 10G bE becomes the logical choice for these netw orks. Converging all traffic w ith10 G bE reduces the need for netw ork interfaces, cabling, sw itches, management tools, spares, and technical skills.
Benefits
10 Gigabit Ethernet with Chelsio’s protocol offload technology provides dramatic advantages for data-center shared storage systems.
Performance
10 GbE brings a tremendous boost in bandw idth, and w hen coupled with Chelsio’s protocol offload adapters, low ers both network latency and CPU overhead.
Ethernet Cost Profile
Ethernet is the most w idely deployed netw orking technology. Each Ethernet generation’s scale economies have driven dow n prices farther and faster than any other netw orking technology. Today, 10GbE is largely uses fiber media. Recently Chelsio introduced the first 10GbE network interface for copper technology, employing a copper media standard that Infiniband uses. In 2006, the industry w ill ratify its standard for tw isted copper pair w iring. Chelsio, along w ith all other 10G bE vendors w ill introduce 10G Base-T interfaces and switches at low cost.
Convergence of SAN and LAN
When SANs use the same network technology as the data-centerLAN, the organization can reduce the cost for netw ork interfaces, sw itches,cabling, management tools, spares, and technical skills needed to maintain two networks.
Integration of block-and file-storage capabilities
Linking servers, block storage systems, and filers with a single network technology that can simultaneously support file and block protocols
eliminates barriers to developing systems that support both block and file traffic.
The Solution
Shared massstorage systems (NAS o rSAN) accessible to all users via
Chelsio-enhanced 10 Gigabit Ethernet
Download Data Center Solutions Overview (PDF)
