White Papers

BP1037 Transitioning to DCB with EqualLogic PS series Storage Solutions 16
4.3 Data center in transition
4.3.1 Deployment considerations for DCB network
Consider the following before deploying a DCB network in the data center:
Goals: Identify why DCB needs to be implemented in the existing network infrastructure. For instance,
some areas where DCB fits are,
• Highly virtualized environments
As the virtualized environments grow, where a single server may host many distinct OS and
application stacks, using higher bandwidth 10GbE becomes increasingly important. Use of
10GbE networking technology provides an opportunity to reduce the number of NICs, cables,
and switches, creating greater efficiencies.
• Reducing costs
The use of converged network adapters and DCB enabled switches would alleviate the
operational costs involved in maintaining separate management networks requiring the use of
multiple cables, NICS and switches.
• Gaining competitive edge by implementing newer technology
An organization that is able to establish new services quickly without interruption to existing IT
services with the ability to dynamically throttle bandwidth could be a competitive advantage.
Changes to accommodate DCB: Identify the changes that would be required to be done in the
existing setup to support DCB. For example some of the changes are,
• Changes in network topology: Consider how the network topology would change with the
introduction of DCB. This includes both SAN and LAN networks in the data center. This would
include changes in networking parameters in the new DCB network to enable connectivity to
existing LAN and SAN infrastructure.
• Application requirements: Consider application requirements for servers to be in the DCB
network. This includes defining traffic types like Ethernet, FCoE etc. and also the bandwidth
requirements for each traffic type.
• Configuration Changes: Consider the configuration changes in servers and applications to
support a converged network. This may include enabling support for different traffic types and
enabling redundant connectivity to SAN and LAN networks.