Brocade, the provider of data center networking solutions that help enterprises
connect and manage their information, announced today that it would be working
with Intel Corporation to deliver next-generation server adapters for evolving
data center networks.
Brocade will provide its storage
networking software technology and expertise, along with Intel's 10 Gigabit
Enhanced Ethernet server adapter hardware, to deliver high-performance Fibre
Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) server connectivity.
The Brocade approach will provide
customers with a new server connectivity option to seamlessly protect and extend
their current investments in Storage Area Networks (SANs).
Madhu Matta, Vice President, Brocade
Server Connectivity Division, said, "Our collaboration with Intel brings
together Brocade's expertise in Fibre Channel with Intel's strength in Ethernet
adapters to enable the consolidation of server I/O into a unified data center
fabric. The solution will give our customers a choice to enable greater
consolidation of server connectivity while preserving the benefits of their
current storage networking and data center infrastructure."
The evolving FCoE standard is
currently being worked on and supported by more than 15 Fibre Channel Industry
Association (FCIA) members, including Brocade. FCoE offers a new choice for
consolidated server I/O connectivity in the data center, which will result in a
greater quantity of servers having access to the well-understood benefits of
storage networks. Customer benefits of this technology will
include:
-
Seamless extension and protection of existing
storage investments
-
Lower, long-term operating costs via consolidated
connectivity and management
-
A management model consistent with that used in
today's SANs
-
A unified data center fabric that meets the
reliability, latency, and performance requirements for storage and broader data
center connectivity
-
Additional server connectivity options for more
cost-effective data center networking
-
A reduction in multiple server I/O and parallel
network infrastructure commonly used in data centers
"Intel believes that unified fabric
over Ethernet will further simplify the virtualized data center," said Tom
Swinford, General Manager, Intel's LAN Access Division.
"The enhanced Ethernet features in
Intel's 10 Gigabit Ethernet adapters will help enable Brocade's solution to
provide the reliable, high-performance server connectivity that our LAN and SAN
customers are seeking,” he added further
The products and technology
resulting from this collaboration will be available in early 2009.
