Specifications

22 Implementing IBM System Networking 10Gb Ethernet Switches
򐂰 Seamless interoperability: IBM System Networking RackSwitches interoperate seamlessly
with other vendors' upstream switches.
򐂰 Fault tolerance: IBM System Networking RackSwitches learn alternative routes
automatically and perform faster convergence in the unlikely case of a link, switch, or
power failure. The switch uses proven technologies, such as L2 trunk failover, advanced
VLAN-based failover, VRRP, and Hot Link.
򐂰 Multicast: Supports IGMP Snooping v1, v2, and v3 with 2 K IGMP groups, and Protocol
Independent Multicast, such as PIM Sparse Mode or PIM Dense Mode.
򐂰 Converged fabric: The IBM System Networking RackSwitch is designed to support CEE
and connectivity to FCoE gateways. CEE helps enable clients to combine storage,
messaging traffic, VoIP, video, and other data on a common data center Ethernet
infrastructure. FCoE helps enable highly efficient block storage over Ethernet for
consolidating server network connectivity. As a result, clients can deploy a single server
interface for multiple data types, which can simplify both deployment and management of
server network connectivity, while maintaining the high availability and robustness
required for storage transactions.
1.5.3 Features and specifications
In this section, we list some of the hardware and software features and specifications of the
IBM System Networking RackSwitch G8264. For more details about these features, see
Chapter 2, “IBM System Networking Switch 10Gb Ethernet switch features” on page 51.
Performance
The IBM System Networking RackSwitch G8264 has the following
performance characteristics:
򐂰 100% line rate performance
򐂰 1280 Gbps non-blocking switching throughput (full duplex)
򐂰 Sub 1.1 microseconds latency
򐂰 960 Mpps
Hardware features
The hardware features for the RackSwitch G8264 are:
򐂰 Models:
– RackSwitch G8264R (for rear-to-front cooling). For ports, at the rear of the rack,
matching System x and BladeCenter designs.
– RackSwitch G8264F (for front-to-rear cooling). For ports, at the front of the rack, the
matching airflow of iDataPlex.
򐂰 Interface options:
– Forty-eight SFP+ ports (10 GbE).
– Four QSFP+ ports (40 GbE).
– One 10/100/1000 Ethernet RJ45 port for out-of-band management.
– One USB port for storage device connection
3
.
3
If a USB drive is inserted into the USB port, you can copy files from the switch to the USB drive, or from the USB
drive to the switch. You also can boot the switch by using software or configuration files found on the USB drive.