Intel Ethernet Cloud White Paper



Signicant efciencies are possible by
passing storage trafc over Ethernet,
as shown in Figure 2. This approach
simplies the server congurations to one
fabric technology (Ethernet), providing
for cost-effective, optimized transmission
of all data streams—LAN, management,
and storage. To support this functionality,
Intel® Ethernet takes advantage of the
mature trusted protocols integrated
into the network devices as well as the
mainstream OSs.
NAS (Network Attached Storage) and
iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System
Interface) SANs natively use Ethernet for
transmission, while Fibre Channel SANs
use a different fabric. FCoE (Fibre Channel
over Ethernet) is a new technology
that allows Fibre Channel trafc to be
encapsulated in standard Ethernet frames
that can be passed over Intel® Ethernet 10
Gigabit server adapters.
Because Fibre Channel requires
guaranteed successful data delivery,
FCoE requires additional Ethernet
technology specically to provide lossless
transmission. Intel Ethernet provides
that functionality using the IEEE 802.1
data center bridging (DCB) collection
of standards-based extensions to
Ethernet, which allows for the denition
of different trafc classes within the
10GbE connection. In this case, storage
is assigned to its own trafc class that
guarantees no packet drop from the
server to the storage target.
Using Ethernet fabric for storage allows
the elimination of expensive, power-
hungry host bus adapters (HBAs) or
converged network adapters (CNAs) and
associated switching infrastructure. FCoE
with Intel Ethernet can help reduce both
equipment costs and operating expenses
associated with storage networking.
Moreover, the use of only one networking
fabric instead of two creates a simpler
infrastructure, based on technology
that is familiar to IT support staff. It is
also compatible with standard, IP-based
management technologies that are
already in use within most IT organizations.
Passing storage trafc over Ethernet
provides two options for network
architects, depending on whether their
internal procedures require dedicated links
and infrastructure for storage trafc:
• 

. Using
Ethernet in place of Fibre Channel for
storage traffic enables the cost and
power savings already mentioned and
standardization on a single type of
server adapter and switch. Note that
a single dual-port server adapter can
provide dedicated ports for both LAN
and SAN traffic.
• 
. Building a topology
where both types of traffic use the same
10GbE server adapter ports and cables
provides optimal reduction in port count
and associated capital and operating costs.
Many organizations adopt a phased
approach, using dedicated ports to
physically isolate LAN and storage trafc
at rst and then later reducing port count
and complexity by consolidating both
types of trafc onto a single interface.
Server 1Server n
10GbE Server
Adapter (Storage)
GbE LAN on
Motherboard
(Management)
Top-of-Rack
GbE Switch
Top-of-Rack
10GbE Switch
Console
Aggregation
10GbE Switch
Aggregation
GbE Switch
Top-of-Rack
10GbE Switch
Opportunity
to Combine
to One NIC
Opportunity
to Combine
to One Switch
Opportunity
to Combine
to One Switch
Aggregation
10GbE,
FCoE Switch
iSCSI, Fibre
Channel SAN
with 10GbE
Storage
Processor
WAN
10GbE Server
Adapter (LAN)
to
g
at
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ck
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on
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A
ve
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gati
on
Ag
Rack
ack
VM nVM 2VM 1VM nVM 2VM 1
Intel® Ethernet 10GbE Server Adapters support storage technologies, such as NAS
(Network Attached Storage), iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface), and FCoE (Fibre
Channel over Ethernet), enabling both storage and LAN traffic to be passed over Ethernet.
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