Datasheet

BNT Virtual Fabric 10Gb Switch Module for IBM BladeCente

Benefits

The BNT Virtual Fabric 10Gb Switch Module offers the following benefits:

Integration and consolidation : This module offers integration within the BladeCenter chassis,

consolidating full Layer 2-3 LAN switching and routing capabilities into a single chassis. This helps

flatten the data center infrastructure and reduces the number of discrete devices, management

consoles, and equipment that administrators must deal with, helping lower costs and simplifying

deployment.

Cost: The BNT switch is priced extremely competitively compared with external switches, especially

when you factor in that no cables are required between the blade and the switch. In addition, the

ability to use direct-attach cables with the switch can help clients save even more compared with the

more expensive CX4, XFP, or X2 transceivers.

Performance: With support for ten 10 Gb uplinks, clients can exploit not only up to 200 Gbps of

bi-directional uplink bandwidth, but also an extremely low oversubscription (14 to 10), which can

support even the most performance-intensive environments (up to 7.2 Gbps per blade server port).

Clients wanting extreme performance can use up to four switches and the quad port 10 Gb adapter

and get up to 1.92 Tbps of data per BladeCenter H chassis.

Lower power consumption : BNT using only 75 W per switch delivers extreme performance per watt,

which is second to none with its support for up to 6.4 Gbps per watt of power.

Layer 3 functionality: The BNT switch module includes Layer 3 functionality, which provides security

and performance benefits as inter-VLAN traffic stays within the chassis. This switch also provides the

full range of Layer 3 protocols from static routes for technologies such as Open Shortest Path First

(OSPF) and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) for enterprise customers.

Interoperability: BNT switches interoperate seamlessly with other vendors' upstream switches.

Management: These switches are designed to support multiple CLIs, allowing the IT staff to select the

CLI with which they are most comfortable. Choices are BLADEOS CLI for those with a Nortel switch

background, industry-based CLI (Cisco-like) for those familiar with IOS, and a full-function Web-based

GUI for the latest in simplicity.

Fault tolerance: These BNT switches learn alternate routes automatically and perform faster

convergence in the unlikely case of a link, switch, or power failure. The switch uses proven

technologies like L2 trunk failover, advanced VLAN-based failover, VRRP, IGMP V3 snooping, and

OSPF.

Converged fabric: The BNT switch is designed to support CEE and connectivity to FCoE modules,

making the IBM solution fully FCoE capable. CEE will help enable clients to combine storage,

messaging traffic, VoIP, video, and other data on a common data center Ethernet infrastructure.

FCoE will help 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.

Now with the combination of the BNT switch and the QLogic Virtual Fabric Extension Module for IBM

BladeCenter, IBM is able to deliver the only full integrated FCoE blade solution available today which

allows access to an existing FC infrastructure without costs of an external top of rack gateway. This

solution will be appealing to those clients required to have separate LAN and SAN traffic outside the

chassis due to internal politics or for those wanting to implement FCoE but are extremely

cost-sensitive. For information about the QLogic Virtual Fabric Extension Module, see

http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/tips0717.html