Data Center Architecture with Panduit, Intel, and Cisco

AN-02

10GBASE-T Interconnect Advantages

Data Center administrators have a number of 10 GbE interconnect options: 10GBASE-SR (Short Reach fiber optic), Enhanced

Small Form-Factor Pluggable SFP+ Direct Attach Copper (DAC), and 10GBASE-T. Currently the most commonly used options

are 10GBASE-SR optical and SFP+ DAC copper because they offer low latency and can both be used with the same SFP+

ports. However, neither 10GBASE-SR optical nor SFP+ DAC are compatible with existing installed structured cabling or with

lower speed equipment such as 1000BASE-T switches, making upgrades more complex and expensive.

Now, with the introduction of 10GBASE-T enabled equipment, such as the Cisco Nexus

2232TM 10GE Fabric Extender

(FEX) and the Intel Ethernet Server Adapter X520-T2, data center managers can start enjoying the many advantages of

10GBASE-T.

• The simplicity of 1000BASE-T, but 10X faster

• Field terminable twisted pair cable with a familiar RJ-45 interface

• Ability to use existing knowledge and training on previous BASE-T

• Lengths up to 100 meters – sufficient reach for most data centers

• Flexible 10 GbE architectures to support all data center topologies

• Auto-negotiable speed offering backward compatibility with slower BASE-T networks allowing phased upgrades for

a seamless migration to 10 GbE

• Lowest cost of deployment

• Ability to integrate server port LAN on motherboard (LOM) which frees up an I/O slot

10GBASE-T Power Consumption Is Reduced

One commonly held misconception of 10GBASE-T is a concern over high power consumption. It should be noted that this

was also true of early 1000BASE-T PHYs, but continual advances in manufacturing processes now have the 1000BASE-T

PHYs below 1W per port. 10GBASE-T adapter cards are expected to follow this same trend. 10GBASE-T power consumption

has been rapidly dropping and now Intel’s third-generation 10GBASE-T adapter card, the dual-port Intel Ethernet Server

Adapter X520-T2, which includes both Media Access Controller (MAC) and PHY, uses less than 10W per port. This is less

than half the power required by Intel’s first-generation single-port product. Intel’s upcoming fourth-generation dual-port

10GBASE-T controller will integrate the MAC and PHY into a single package, which will again drop power consumption

significantly per port. Future applications will also look to employ Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE), now available on GbE

adapters, to further lower power consumption. These reductions in power, combined with steady performance increases,

make 10GBASE-T suitable for high-density switches and enable LOM implementations on mainstream servers, further

reducing the total system cost.

10GBASE-T Implementation Overview

In order to deliver a full end-to-end 10GBASE-T solution, all network elements, such as cabling, server adapters, and

switching fabric, must support this higher speed. Panduit, Intel, and Cisco each deliver technologies that together form a

comprehensive, integrated 10GBASE-T ecosystem solution that has been tested to ensure interoperability, availability, and

reliability for 10 GbE high speed networks. This cost-effective and flexible system can be developed through the integration

of the new 10GBASE-T enabled Cisco Nexus 2232TM 10 GbE fabric extenders, working with Cisco Nexus 5000 Series

switches and Intel Ethernet Server Adapters over the Panduit TX6A

™

10Gig

™

Copper Cabling System.

This solution can be deployed in Top-of-Rack (ToR), Middle-of-Row (MoR), End-of-Row (EoR), and distributed topologies.

All of these physical topologies provide modularity, organization, and flexibility within the data center. Each of these

topologies offers different advantages for both new Data Centers and existing Data Centers migrating from GbE to 10 GbE.