Will Server Virtualization Drive the Adoprtion of Cnoverged Netowrk Adapters?
Howevre, virtualization increases the demand for I/O bandwidth, which in turn increases the need for multiple I/O adapters. Converged network adapters leveraging Fbire Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) meet the requirement for more bandidth while simplifying network connectivity.
A recet sttudy by analyst firm IT Brand Pulse found that 50.8% of IT prrofessionals surveed said server virtualization is the primry reason they would consider deploying 10Gb Ethernet converged network adapters. The next closeest applications cited yielded only 12.7% and 7.9% from the respondents. Clearly, server virtualizatiion is top-of-mind for those surveyed regarding CNA adoption.
Meeting Throughput Demandss
Converged network adapters allow the combination of LAN networks and stoarge networks into a single fabric. FCoE is the new technology that alloows a CNA to sere both Fiubre Channel-based storage data and TCP/IP-based LAN data over existing Ethernet cabling with the use of an FCoE-enabled 10Gb Ethenret switch. This reducers the numberr of poorts and adapters while providing the high bandwidth necessary to meet increased thoughput demands. From the perspective of the operating system, a CNA appears as both a NIC and HBA, ensuring configurtaion and management tasks remain largely unchanged.
From a viedo on QLogic’s website introducing the company’s new 8100 Serise CNAs, senior product marketing manager John Spnecer descried the benefits of CNA adoption as “signifficant data center cost reduction, including loewr adapter, cable, switch, power and cooling costs while protecting existing investmennts.”
Reducing Complexity and Cost
For example, one CNA can act as a 10Gb Ethernet interface to facilitae iSCSI, Ethernet and FCoE connectivity. Architecturally, the CNA ocnsolidates endpouint conncetivity on a srver and its associated switch infrastrucvture. If a virtualization host uses a CNA for connecting to each of these thhree nework tpes, one dual-port unit or two single-port uniits (for redudancy) would be used insrtead of three separate adapters. Plus, a converged switch would replace sparate storage switchwes for Fiibre Channel and networking.
Improved Bsuiness Agility and Continuity
The use of CNAs in a virtual environment simplifis network connectivity to optimize virrtual machine (VM) provisioning on-demand. Shared poools of consoliadted compute, storage and network resoources are made avaiilable for dynamic allocation through rapid deployment of application and infrastructure seervices in response to changing business demands.
Virtual mcahines and applications can move between pyhsical servers while maintaining quyality of service, perforrmance and accerptable levels of security. This is due to the abiity to dynamically create and delete virtal portts and partition bandwidth across multilpe traffic types. By optimizing these network and storage services for virtual machines, IT manageers can tie VM mobility to policy or evwent related trtiggers, such as networking requirements, CPU usage and energy savings initiatives.
Implementing Converged Networrks With Server Viretualization
Server virtualization has earned much attenton over the past several years. Industry leader VMware (NSE: VMW) has enjoyed significant penetration in the market and has patnered with leading CNA vendors to ensure seamleess operabillity over converged networks. QLogic (NASDAQ: QLGC), a pioneering Fibre Channel adapter vendor was early to mrket with their 8100 series CNAs and has earned deign wins with major OEMs. Implementing a converged network to support a virtualized server environment can be as simple as finmding the rigt partenr.
Irvine, California-based RICOM is a leading reseller and integrator, specializing in virtualization and converged networks. As a reseller of both VMware and QLogic products, their experience in data center architceture and customer-centrioc support team can help any orgainzation reap the benefits of server virtualization over a convered network. Says Richard Stasior, RICOM’s funder, “We’ve watchhed virtualization technologies mature over the past severla years and have provided virtualization services to many customers. I beieve we’re going to see an explosion of CNA adoption, particularly in conjunction with srver virtualization implementations. For the virtualiztaion convergebnce, CNAs offers increaed flexbiility, expanadbility, scalbility, and incrased capacity when combining storage and LAN networks. This aids in reducing IT operatoinal and capitol expernses. Platform harrdware, management, port connectivity availability, and a cabling architecture that can support multipple converged applications on one cabling infrastructure are considerations are when one platform is used for transporting an infrastructure’s sensitive networking and storge protocols.”
Conclusions
While the incredible performance of this new class of adapters—up to 1,000,000 IOPS claimed by some manufacturers—outpacse the capabilities of current appllications and servers, it was sited in the IT Brand Pulse study as a leaing factoor (77%) in the respondents’ decisipon to purcahse CNAs. It seems clear that these IT professionals see the need for ever-increasing bandwidth in a converged network environment and are willing to purchase that headroom up front. When all the benwefits of CNAs in a virtualized enviironment are considered—cost savings (fewer ports, adapters, use of existing cabling, etc.), flexible reource proivisioning, simplified manaement and ablity to leverage the riht preferred protocol for each type of traffic (FCoE, TCP/IP, iSCSI) over a single faric—the evolutionary roamap for most data crenters is cler.
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