Unified Networking on 10GbE_Intel and NetApp

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Uniﬁed Networking on 10 Gigabit Ethernet

Intel and NetApp provide a simple and ﬂexible path to cost-

effective performance of next-generation storage networks.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Unied networking over 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) in the data center

oers compelling benets, including a simplied infrastructure, lower

equipment and power costs, and the exibility to meet the needs of the

evolving, virtualized data center. In recent years, growth in Ethernet-based

storage has surpassed that of storage-specic fabrics, driven in large part by

the increase in server virtualization. e ubiquity of storage area network

(SAN) access will be critical as virtualization deployments continue to

grow and new, on-demand data center models emerge.

With long histories in Ethernet networking and storage, Intel and NetApp

are two leaders in the transition to 10GbE unied networking. is paper

explores the many benets of unied networking, the approaches to

enabling it, and the pivotal roles Intel and NetApp are playing in helping

to bring important, consolidation-driving technologies to enterprise data

center customers.

CONTENTS

Executive Summary ................1

Simplifying the Network with 10GbE...2

Evolving with the Data Center ........2

The Promise of Ethernet Storage......3

Ethernet Enhancements for Storage ...4

Data Center Bridging for

Lossless Ethernet .................. 4

Fibre Channel over Ethernet:

Extending Consolidation............. 4

Contrasting FCoE Architectures....... 4

Open FCoE: Momentum

in the Linux* Community . . . . . . . . . . 4

Intel Ethernet Uniﬁed Networking .....5

Reliability ........................ 5

Cost-Effectiveness ................ 5

Scalable Performance .............. 6

Ease of Use ...................... 6

NetApp Ethernet Storage:

Proven, I/O Uniﬁcation Engine ........6

Conclusion .......................7

Summary of content (8 pages)

PAGE 1
Unified Networking on 10 Gigabit Ethernet Intel and NetApp provide a simple and flexible path to costeffective performance of next-generation storage networks. Executive Summary Contents Unified networking over 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) in the data center offers compelling benefits, including a simplified infrastructure, lower equipment and power costs, and the flexibility to meet the needs of the evolving, virtualized data center.
PAGE 2
Simplifying the Network with 10GbE As IT departments look to reduce costs and improve server efficiency, they are turning increasingly to server virtualization and consolidation. The benefits of virtualization are widely understood: less server hardware to purchase, lower power and cooling needs, and centralized management.
PAGE 3
Advanced virtualization support. Advanced server virtualization enables dynamic resource allocation and is required for any cloud computing infrastructure. Technologies from companies such as Intel and NetApp, and hypervisor vendors are delivering line-rate 10GbE throughput and support for platform virtualization enhancements. Unified networking. A 10GbE unified fabric simplifies the network infrastructure by consolidating LAN and SAN traffic.
PAGE 4
Many Enterprises have extensive FC installations, and FCoE provides easy FC SAN access for any server with a capable 10GbE port. By using standard Ethernet fabrics, FCoE eliminates the need for dedicated FC host bus adapters (HBAs), reducing cabling and switch-port requirements, while coexisting with existing FC hardware and software infrastructures.
PAGE 5
vendor supply chain that is designed for heterogeneous interoperability, ultimately resulting in greater choice and lower equipment costs. Native Initiator Success: iSCSI The Open FCoE approach offers a number of advantages in terms of accessibility and ease of use. In the early days of iSCSI, proponents of iSCSI HBAs claimed that these dedicated adapters were necessary to deliver acceptable performance.
PAGE 6
Scalable Performance In terms of performance, Intel Ethernet 10 Gigabit Server Adapters combine high throughput, intelligent hardware-based offloads with native OS initiators, and stable hardware, while leaving processor cycles available for application processing. These adapters offload the main data paths to improve FCoE throughput. The net result is comparable FCoE performance for realworld workloads compared to that of CNAs.
PAGE 7
Conclusion 10GbE unified networking provides a simple, flexible, and well-understood fabric for today’s virtualized data centers and lays the groundwork for new computing models, including Cloud Computing, which will deliver more intelligent, responsive data centers and greater business agility. With their long histories of leadership in Ethernet networking and storage, respectively, Intel and NetApp are two companies that are helping IT organizations transition to a unified data center fabric on 10GbE.
PAGE 8
1 Source: Intel estimates as of January 2010. Performance comparison using SPECjbb*2005 bops (business operations per second). Results have been estimated based on internal Intel analysis and are provided for informational purposes only. Any difference in system hardware or software design or configuration may affect actual performance. For detailed calculations, configurations and assumptions refer to the legal information slide in backup. 2 IDC, “Server Workloads Forecast,” 2009.