Datasheet

Data Sheet
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Figure 8. Active-Active Pair of Cisco Nexus 5000 Series Switches Connected to Redundant Servers
Unified Access Architecture
One deployment scenario involves equipping each data center rack with two Cisco Nexus 2248 GE Fabric Extenders
or with two Cisco Nexus 2232 10GE Fabric Extenders, connected to two upstream Cisco Nexus 5500 platform
switches (Figure 9). Up to 48 servers can connect to each 1 Gigabit Ethernet fabric extender, and up to 32 servers
can connect to each 10 Gigabit Ethernet fabric extender. Assuming that these servers are dual-homed, a pair of
Cisco Nexus 5500 platform switches can connect up to 1152 1 Gigabit Ethernet servers (24 N2248) or up to 768 10
Gigabit Ethernet servers (24 N2232).
Figure 9. Sample Unified Access Deployment Scenario Supporting Up to 1152 1 Gigabit Ethernet Servers or Up to 768 10
Gigabit Ethernet Servers with a Single Pair of Access-Layer Switches and a Single Point of Management
Unified Fabric with FCoE: I/O Consolidation
The Cisco Nexus 5500 platform consolidates multiple networks - LAN, SAN, and server cluster - on a single unified
fabric, saving the capital and operating expenses associated with deployment of multiple parallel networks, switching
infrastructure, and cabling. The Cisco Nexus 5500 platform is compatible with third-party I/O CNAs that present
separate Ethernet NICs and Fibre Channel HBAs to the server operating system. This approach allows existing
drivers and Fibre Channel management software to work transparently with FCoE. Upstream, expansion modules