HP today announced new high-performance network solutions that expand the portfolio to enable the company’s Converged Infrastructure strategy by delivering simplified server connectivity.
The new offerings, which include a new Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) module for the high-performance HP A5820 data center switch (H3C S5820x), are designed to improve application availability, increase deployment flexibility and lower the overall total cost of ownership (TCO) of the network infrastructure. These additions bring enhanced server edge technology to HP’s FlexFabric high performance, flexible and secure data center networking fabric for a Converged Infrastructure.
“Traditional data center networks are rigid, complex and expensive. As such, they are unable to keep pace with the increasing use of server virtualization and rapid changes in business demands”, said Subhodeep Bhattacharya, Country Manager, HP Networking, Hp India. “HP FCoE is an emerging technology that reduces network complexity, as well as costs, while complementing traditional Fibre Channel and iSCSI storage connectivity solutions”, he added
The FCoE module for the HP A5820 data center switch efficiently connects virtual and physical servers to Ethernet and storage networks. The new solution will significantly simplify connectivity and reduce costs where the bulk of the complexity exists - at the server edge. This approach to FCoE helps clients avoid a complete network overhaul by choosing an incremental migration path to deploy FCoE end to end. This enables clients to set the stage for future network convergence deployments while leveraging existing Fibre Channel investments.
Enabling converged networks
HP’s new, industry standards based FCoE module for the HP A5820 data center switch converges storage and network top-of-rack switches as well as dedicated server and storage network adapters. This enables clients to reduce required equipment and cabling by up to 75 percent.(1) Other client benefits include:
— Up to 10 times performance improvement over existing Gigabit (Gb) connectivity technology with dual speed 1/10 Gb ports and wire-speed 10 Gb per second throughput.
— Reduced energy costs with an optimized airflow design that separates the “hot” aisles from the “cold” aisles in the data center to increase efficiency in the cooling system.
— Simplified deployment with an HP networking A-series common operating system and Intelligent Management Center (IMC) for single-pane-of-glass management across the entire network.
The new HP A5820 FCoE solution complements the recently introduced HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric module for BladeSystem, which reduces complexity at the server edge by automating and virtualizing server connectivity to data and storage networks. The HP Virtual Connect module enables clients to reduce up to 95 percent of network equipment by eliminating the need for multiple interconnects. (2) It also lowers power and cooling costs up to 40 percent per year(2) while dramatically simplifying change management.
More information about these products is available at www.hp.com/go/NewHPNetworkingSolutions
