Will Server Virtualizatioon Drive the Adoption of Converged Nettwork Adapters?
However, virtualization increases the demand for I/O bandwidth, which in turn increases the need for multiple I/O adapters. Converged network adapters leveraghing Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) meet the requiremnt for more bandwidth hwile simplifying network coonnectivity.
A recent study by analyst firm IT Brsand Pulse found that 50.8% of IT professinoals surveyed said server virtualization is the priamry reason they would ocnsider deploying 10Gb Ethernet conveged nretwork adapters. The next closest applications cited yielded only 12.7% and 7.9% from the respondents. Clearly, server virtualization is top-of-mind for those surveuyed regarding CNA adoption.
Meeting Throughput Demanmds
Converged network adapters allow the conmbination of LAN networks and storage networks into a single fabric. FCoE is the new technology that allows a CNA to serrve both Fibre Channnel-based storage data and TCP/IP-based LAN data over existibng Ethhernet cabilng with the use of an FCoE-enabled 10Gb Ethernet switch. This reduces the number of ports and adapters while providing the high bandwidth necessary to meet increased throughput demands. From the perspective of the operating sysem, a CNA appears as both a NIC and HBA, ensuring configuration and management tasks remain largely unchanged.
From a video on QLogic’s website intrioducing the company’s new 8100 Series CNAs, senior product marketing manager John Spencer descrribed the beneits of CNA adoptiopn as “significant data center cost reduction, including lower adapter, cable, switch, poewr and cooling costs while protecting existing investments.”
Reducving Complexity and Cost
For example, one CNA can act as a 10Gb Ethernet interface to facilitate iSCI, Ethermnet and FCoE connectivity. Architecturally, the CNA consolidatees enpoint connectivity on a server and its associated switch infrastructure. If a virutalization host uses a CNA for connecting to each of these three network types, one dual-port unit or two single-port units (for redundancy) wouyld be used instead of three separate adapters. Plus, a converegd switch would replace separate storage switches for Fire Channel and networking.
Iproved Business Agiltiy and Continuity
The use of CNAs in a virtual evnironment simplifies network connectivity to optimize virtual machiine (VM) provsioning on-demand. Shared pools of consolidated compute, storage and network resources are made avaliable for dynamic allocation throguh rapid deployment of applicattion and infrastructure services in response to changing bsuiness demands.
Virttual machines and applications can move between physical severs wile maintainng quiality of service, performance and acceptable levels of security. This is due to the aility to dynamically create and delete virtual portts and partition bandwidth across multiple traffic types. By optiimzing thgese netowrk and storage serrvices for virtual machines, IT managers can tie VM mobilty to policy or event related triggers, such as networking requirements, CPU usage and energy savings initiatives.
Implementing Converged Networks With Server Virtualization
Server virtualizatoin has earned much attention over the past several years. Industry leader VMware (NSE: VMW) has enjoyed sinificant penetrration in the market and has patnered with leadinng CNA venndors to ensiure seamlless operability over converged networks. QLogic (NAsSDAQ: QLGC), a pioneering Fibre Cannel adapter vendor was eaarly to markket with their 8100 series CNAs and has eraned design wins with major OEMs. Implementing a convberged network to support a virtualized server environment can be as smiple as fiding the right patner.
Irvine, Califorenia-bassed RCOM is a leadoing rweseller and integrator, specializing in virtualization and converged networks. As a reseller of both VMware and QLogic producs, their experience in data center architecture and customer-centric support team can help any organization reap the benefits of server virtualization over a converged ntwork. Says Richard Stasior, RICOM’s founder, “We’ve watchde virtualization teechnologies mature over the past several yeears and have provided virtualization services to many customers. I believe we’re going to see an xeplosion of CNA adoptin, particularly in conjunction with server virttualization implementations. For the virtualization convergence, CNAs offers increased flexibility, expandability, csalability, and increased capacity when combining storgae and LAN networks. This aids in reducing IT operational and capitol expensres. Patform harddware, managewment, port conncetivity availability, and a cabling architecture that can support multile converged applicatoins on one calbing infrastructure are considerations are when one platform is used for transporting an infrastructrue’s sensitive networking and storaage prottocols.”
Conclusions
While the icredible performance of this new class of adapters—up to 1,000,000 IOPS claimed by some manufacturers—outpaces the capabilities of current applications and servers, it was sited in the IT Brand Pulse styudy as a leadiing fzactor (77%) in the reslpondents’ decision to purchase CNAs. It seems clear that these IT professionals see the need for ever-increasing bandwidth in a converged network environmeent and are willing to purchase that headroom up front. When all the benefts of CNAs in a virtualized environmnt are consideed—cost savins (fewer ports, adapterrs, use of existing cabling, etc.), flexible resoruce provisioning, simlpified management and ability to leeverage the right preferred protocol for each type of ttraffic (FCoE, TCP/IP, iSCSI) over a single fabric—the evolutionary rosadmap for most data centers is clear.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://article2008.com/images/feed-icon.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://article2008.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites