Simplifying the Network with 10 Gigabit Ethernet Unified Networking

White Paper: Simplifying the Network with 10 Gigabit Ethernet Unified Networking
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Cost-Effective Efficiency
Standardizing on Intel Ethernet 10 Gigabit Server Adapters lever-
ages Ethernet economics for cost-effective broad-based unified
networking deployment. A single Intel Ethernet Server Adapter
X520 supports FCoE, iSCSI, NAS, and LAN traffic for true unified
networking without the need for expensive upgrades.
In terms of performance, the Intel Ethernet Server Adapter
X520 combines high throughput, intelligent hardware-based
offloads with native OS initiators, and stable hardware, while
leaving processor cycles available for application processing.
These adapters offload the main data paths to improve FCoE
throughput. The net result is excellent FCoE performance for
real-world workloads.
In real-world implementations, SAN performance is determined
by a number of factors, including application threading, as well
as storage target processor and disk speeds. At typical I/O per
second (IOPS) levels, processor utilization is typically quite low,
thanks in part to recent increases in processor performance.
Ease of Use
By using the native storage initiators integrated into the oper-
ating system, the Intel Ethernet Server Adapter X520 makes it
easy to connect any server to the SAN. Standardizing on Intel
Ethernet Server Adapter X520 family delivers a number of
benefits to Enterprise IT:
• Trusted OS-based initiators
• Same interface to configure an adapter for LAN or SAN traffic
• Plug and play with existing management tools
• No proprietary software to install
EMC’s Storage Solutions
As the leader in networked storage, EMC offers a comprehen-
sive line of storage systems to satisfy a diverse set of customer
needs. The EMC VNX* series of products delivers affordable
and easy to use mid-tier storage solutions that provide high
efficiency for multi-protocol environments. EMC Symmetrix*
VMAX delivers unmatched scalability, high availability, and
scale-out performance levels for the most demanding needs
of the virtual data center. These EMC storage systems all offer
simplified management with advanced functionality including
virtual provisioning, fully automated storage tiering (FAST),
remote and local replication, and data compression. EMC’s
storage systems support native FCoE. These high-speed
FCoE I/O modules can easily be installed into EMC arrays
non-disruptively.
Conclusion
10 Gigabit Ethernet’s simplicity, flexibility, and familiarity make
it ideal for a unified data center network fabric and for laying the
groundwork for new models, including Cloud Computing, which
will deliver more intelligent, responsive data centers and greater
business agility. Through their product and industry leadership,
Intel and EMC are helping IT organizations transition to 10GbE
and build next-generation data center infrastructures.