HP and Emulex joined forces to put their new converged networking technology to the test, resulting in an in-depth IT Brand Pulse paper that explores the performance and capabilities of new embedded converged networking technology offered in today’s HP BladeSystem G7 portfolio. Based on the third-generation BladeEngine 3 of Emulex OneConnect technology, HP introduced the integrated FlexFabric adapter and HP FlexFabric mezzanine adapters, which enable network convergence when combined with a Virtual Connect FlexFabric module to support simultaneous Local Area Network (LAN) (TCP/IP), iSCSI and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) traffic over a single Ethernet link. With performance that meets and, at times, exceeds, industry standards, along with the unique flexibility of the embedded technology and virtualization support with HP FlexFabric, HP BladeSystem G7 Servers stand out as the server of choice for data centers that need high-performance across virtual machines (VMs) with changing connectivity needs.
Performance
IT Brand Pulse tested the network interface card (NIC) (TCP/IP), iSCSI and FCoE connectivity options available with the HP integrated FlexFabric adapters. All performed at or above industry standards for Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) or Converged Network Adapters (CNAs). The charts below summarize the performance testing completed on the FlexFabric adapter, based on the Emulex OneConnect technology. Each connectivity option delivered the performance required by the toughest data centers.
Flexibility for Virtual Machines
When combined with HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric Module, each HP FlexFabric Adapter 10Gb port can be configured as up to four FlexNICs, with an option to configure one as a FlexHBA for either Fibre Channel or iSCSI storage connectivity. Each FlexNIC or FlexHBA can be configured with its own set of network policies tailored to the need of specific VMs and applications.
HP is first to market with servers in the industry that offer an integrated CNA. With a new generation of integrated FlexFabric adapters, HP ProLiant BL460c G7 servers offer the promise of higher performance with support for 10Gb Ethernet (10GbE), less cabling with support for converged networking and end-to-end virtual server management with support for virtual networking.
The results are impressive and give good reason why network convergence is a growing concern for IT environments, now and in the future.
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