Convergence and Virtualization

Supercharge Virtualization with Network Convergence 

Data center managers are required to keep pace with changing business dynamics, while managing limitations in staff size, floor space, power and cooling. Efforts to reduce data center complexity, management costs and power consumption are increasingly being met by consolidation, virtualization and convergence initiatives.

By combining new high-performance servers and the increased scalability of VMware vSphere, higher ratios of server virtualization can be achieved.  As more workloads are consolidated, LAN and SAN connectivity requirements also grow, with a typical server having six to ten gigabit Ethernet connections and multiple Fibre Channel connections. In an effort to reduce the number of cable connections, IT managers have found the concept of a converged network to be compelling—a network capable of supporting data, clustering and storage traffic.

Emulex has actively worked with industry partners to develop the Fibre Channel of  Ethernet (FCoE) standard and Converged Network Adapters (CNAs) that enable unification of multiple traffic types—networking, storage and clustering—over a single network. Network convergence provides several key benefits which include reduced total cost of ownership, enhanced business agility, higher levels of operational continuity and protection of existing infrastructure investments.

Emulex CNAs are intelligent multi-protocol adapters that provide host LAN and Fibre Channel SAN connectivity over 10Gb/s Ethernet using FCoE and Enhanced Ethernet. Unrivaled scalability, QoS enhancements and industry-leading virtualization support make Emulex CNAs an ideal solution for server I/O consolidation.  (Click here for OneConnect FCoE CNAs)

Emulex CNAs also provide IT managers with installation and management capabilities designed to minimize reboots and further simplify deployment, delivering unmatched business resilience. Firmware-based architecture enables feature and performance upgrades without costly hardware changes and advanced error checking features provide the highest levels of operational continuity.

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