Converging SAN and LAN Infrastructure with Fibre Channel over Ethernet for Efficient, Cost-Effective Date Centers

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Converging SAN and LAN Infrastructure with Fibre Channel over Ethernet for Efcient, Cost-Effective Data Centers Page 1

OVERVIEW

Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) is an emerging data

transport technology that simplies the network fabric by

converging both storage area network (SAN) and LAN

connectivity onto a single 10 Gigabit Ethernet link. As

the use of SANs in the data center continues to grow,

FCoE can decrease the cost of connecting servers to

the SAN, while also preserving the existing management

infrastructure and reducing overall power consumption.

By encapsulating Fibre Channel payloads in Ethernet

frames, FCoE uses a switch that supports the technology,

such as Cisco

Nexus 5000 Series Switches, to connect

transparently to existing environments. As a result,

organizations can simplify their infrastructures, with fewer

server network interfaces, reduced cabling infrastructure,

and a unied switching architecture, which also reduces

power requirements in the server room. At the same

time, FCoE facilitates connection of a higher percentage

of servers to the SAN, taking better advantage of SAN

resources overall. SAN trafc running on FCoE can

provide the same latency, security, and trafc management

characteristics as if it were running on Fibre Channel.

A set of network technologies known collectively as Data

Center Bridging (DCB) enables Ethernet fabrics to support

lossless transmission, making them suitable for carrying

SAN trafc. This set of emerging standards enables

better trafc prioritization over a single interface, as well

as advanced means for shaping trafc on the network to

decrease congestion.

Compared to separate LAN and SAN interfaces

provisioned to connect servers to the SAN fabric, a

network using FCoE can be simpler and less costly to

operate, requiring less power and equipment, making it

more environmentally sound.

Converging SAN and LAN Infrastructure with Fibre Channel over Ethernet

for Efcient, Cost-Effective Data Centers

Summary of content (8 pages)

PAGE 1
Converging SAN and LAN Infrastructure with Fibre Channel over Ethernet for Efficient, Cost-Effective Data Centers Overview Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) is an emerging data transport technology that simplifies the network fabric by converging both storage area network (SAN) and LAN connectivity onto a single 10 Gigabit Ethernet link.
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Evolving SAN Environments Deployment of SANs using both the common connection fabrics—Small Computer System Interface over IP (iSCSI) and Fibre Channel—is increasing dramatically, and that growth is expected to continue through the foreseeable future, as shown in Figure 1. Growth in deployment of iSCSI-based SANs is especially prevalent in medium-sized businesses, branch offices, and new installations, while Fibre Channel SANs remain the choice for enterprise-scale deployments.
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FCS EOF CRC FC Header SOF FCoE Header Ethernet Header Fibre Channel Payload Figure 3. In FCoE, the Fibre Channel payload is encapsulated in Ethernet frames. Unified Networking with Fibre Channel over Ethernet It is now possible to carry both LAN and SAN traffic over a single Ethernet network. FCoE extends Fibre Channel traffic onto a lossless 10 Gigabit Ethernet fabric, converging LAN and SAN I/O onto one set of cables.
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Logical Fit with Rest of Hardware Upgrade Lifecycle Implementing FCoE in an IT environment does not require changes to the core network. Support for FCoE traffic will typically require an upgrade to one or more edge switches, such as embedded blade and top-of-rack switches, and does not affect the core switching equipment or topology.
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Further, it provides a level of granularity that allows prioritization of specific traffic types. The primary technologies that enable DCB are: • Priority Flow Control allows definition of up to eight user priorities on a single physical link, each of which has its own logical lane that can be paused independently of the others.
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Deployment Considerations for Unified Data Center Fabric As discussed here, a hallmark of FCoE design (and a core strategy to help ensure its adoption) is its capability to be deployed incrementally within existing environments, minimizing disruption of the deploying organization while helping ensure maximum benefit. For this reason, FCoE is engineered specifically to coexist with existing topologies, such as traditional Ethernet, Fibre Channel, and iSCSI.
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FCoE-Capable Data Center Switches from Cisco For either of these two deployment models, the Cisco Nexus 5000 Series offers feature-rich Layer 2 data center switches with advanced support for unified data center fabric. In addition to FCoE support over Enhanced 10 Gigabit Ethernet, the Cisco Nexus 5000 Series delivers advanced lossless transmission capabilities, taking advantage of the Enhanced Ethernet capabilities mentioned previously, helping ensure the fidelity of converged traffic.
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The Next Step Conclusion A convergence of factors continues to increase the use of SANs and the adoption of 10 Gigabit Ethernet. These factors include the requirements of server virtualization technology, the rapid adoption of multisocket servers hosting multi-core processors, and the ever-increasing demands of today’s business applications. FCoE has arrived as an enabling technology that controls the cost and complexity of deploying SAN connectivity to all the servers in the business environment.