Datasheet

D A T A S H E E T
QLogic 5800V/5802V Fibre Channel Stackable Switch

 50902-00F 2
Next-GenerationStacking:AGoodIdeaGetsBetter!
QLogic5800Vletsyouconnect8Gb,4Gb,or2GbdevicestoaSAN
foraboutthesamecost as competing4Gb-onlysolutions, but the
investment protection advantages go much deeper!  Unlike other
solutions,the5800Vcan
phase bandwidthprovisioningincrementally
within your ISL fabric—the most performance-critical area of the
SAN.
1.Startwith“AlwaysOn”10GbISLs
EachQLogic 5800V shipswith all four10Gb stackingports active
by default.  Basic inter-switch connectivity is now included with
theproduct.CustomersnolongerneedtotakeISLportcostsinto
accountwhenplanningtheirSANs—everyporttheypurchasemay
now be connected directly to a server or storage device! 
(See
sidebarformoreonstacking.)
At their default 10Gb setting,the four stacking ports provide over
50Gbofadditionalbandwidthperswitch—theequivalentofsixextra
8Gbports!
10GbISLspeedprovidesmorethanenoughbandwidthforcustomers
intheearlystagesoftheir8Gbmigration,whenmanyswitchports
arestillattachedto4Gbstorageandotherlegacydevices.
2.20GbBandwidthOnDemand
When a majority of QLogic device ports are eventually connected
to8Gbdevices,additionalinter-switch bandwidth may be desired.
Atthatpoint,customerscannondisruptivelyupgradetheISLports
on one or more switches to 20Gb.  At 20Gb, this is the only ISL
technology that perfectly complements 8Gb device speeds and
extends the stability,cost savings, and performance benefits of a
truebackbonearchitecturetonext-generationSANs.
IT managers now have all the network headroom they need to
deploy new applications and technologies with confidence.  Best
of all, because 20Gb uses the same cables/connectors as 10Gb,
customerscanupgradetheirentireSANattheclickofamouse—
without touching a cable or purchasing any new hardware .  Only
QLogicofferssuchacost-deferred“pay-as-you-grow”planforthe
8Gbtransition.
EasytoInstallandManage
• Installation and configuration wizards—From basic switch
setuptoadvancedzoningandextendeddistanceconfiguration,
the QLogic 5800V automates routines to make deployment a
snap.Installationisathree-step,point-and-clickprocess.Self-
configuringswitchportsautomaticallyadjustto8Gb,4Gb,or2Gb
devicespeeds.
WhatIsStacking?
Stackable switches, long familiar to Ethernet users, were
introducedforFibreChannelbyQLogicin 2003.Stacking
cuts
complexity
 and  costs  by providing a stable, highly-expandable
transport for aggregate ISL traffic—eliminating the disruption,
port waste, and management hassles associated with using
deviceportsasISLs.
TrueBackboneValue
Inastackablearchitecture,eachswitchfeaturesdedicatedports
forISL;thatis,forconnectingtootherswitches.Theseportsoffer
muchgreaterbandwidththantheregulardata/deviceports,and
therefore require far fewer connections to achieve specific
bandwidthgoals.
Need more server or storage ports? Simply add another
switch to the stack—no need to move existing cables or
disrupt devices.
AffordableNow—BigSavingsLater
• Low initial cost—Out-of-the-box,dual-speedQLogic5000
productsprovidesuperiorperformanceataprice-per-portthat
iscompetitivewithsingle-speed,nonstackingedgeswitches.
• Reduced expansion costs—MultiswitchQLogicnetworks
require
upto50percentfewerswitches toachievethesame
deviceportcounts,andbecauseeachstackingportmatches
thethroughputofthreedeviceports,QLogicISLconnections
arefarlessexpensiveperunitofbandwidth.Forinstance,a
single20Gbconnection(25.5Gbpsactuallinerate,51Gbps
full-duplex)saves
six 8Gbdeviceportsfordevicesand
eliminatestheneedfor
six expensive8GbSFPs.Stackinghas
nevermademoresensefromabudgetversusperformance
perspective!
• Longer product and topology lifespan—Othervendorsforce
customerstotakeanonlinear“ripandreplace”approachto
SANgrowth,offeringalimitedsolutionatthelowend,followed
byaradicallydifferentarchitectureastheinstallationmatures.
QLogic’smodularISLbackbonehelpscustomerspace
investmentsanddeploymentactivities
predictably overtime,
withfewerwrongturnsandreversals—evenwhencorporate
strategiesanddirectionschange.
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