Prakash Venkatesen - Migrating to FCoE - Interop Mumbai 2009

Migrating to FCoE

Interop Mumbai 2009

Prakash Venkatesen, Rijesh Kunhi Parambattu

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Agenda

� FCoE Technology Overview and Benefits

� Factors to consider before migrating to FCoE

� Recommended Migration Strategy

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Introduction to FCoE

� FCoE enables SAN traffic to be natively transported over Ethernet

networks while protecting the investment customers have made into

the FC SAN

� FCoE specification provides a direct mapping of Fibre Channel over

Ethernet

� FCoE standards body includes all the major SAN vendors such as

Brocade, Cisco, EMC, IBM, Intel, Sun, Qlogic, Emulex

� FCoE specification finalized in June 2009

� FCoE products already available

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Data Center without FCoE

FC Link

Ethernet

• Servers have 2 adapters

• Two different networks

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Data Center with FCoE

FC Link

Ethernet

• Only one server adapter

• Single network

• One edge switch

• Support for FC Storage

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FCoE Benefits

� Non-disruptive upgrade to existing FC SAN

� Retains traditional FC management model

� Compatibility with existing infrastructure: middleware, drivers, hardware,

management software, storage products – minimizing risk and integration costs

� Reduces CAPEX

� Single adapter (CNA) sufficient for both storage and Ethernet traffic

� Reduces cabling

� Reduces number of switches

� Reduces OPEX

� Fewer equipment result in lesser power consumption and cooling requirements

� Less complex infrastructure

� Performance: 4G/8G FC to 10G Ethernet; future transition to 40G, 100G

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Agenda

� FCoE Technology Overview and Benefits

� Factors to consider before migrating to FCoE

� Recommended Migration Strategy

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Physical Connectivity Requirements

� Optical connectivity: IEEE 802.3 10Gbps serial

� Less than 100m MM OM3 recommended to new installs for compatibility

with 40/100gE and 16/32GFC

� Copper connectivity: SFP+ copper definition for external copper

connection

� 10GBase10-KX4/KR internal backplanes and blades

� Connector for optics and copper: SFP+

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FCoE Deployments at the Edge

Current generation of FCoE switches

support deployment at the edge

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FCoE Management

� Management of FCoE technology equivalent to

managing FC

� FCoE CNA is represented exactly like FC HBA

� FCoE switch zoning configuration works in the same way as FC

switch

� FCoE targets represented as FC targets

� Topology views – no difference between FC SAN and FCoE

SAN

� Very little re-training needed for administrators

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Storage Applications

� Storage applications handling FCoE-attached volumes

work the same way as handling FC volumes

� Applications like Backup, Recovery, Snapshot work exactly like

the way they work on FC SAN

� Migrating a VM from a server with FC HBA to a server with

FCoE CNA is seamless

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Higher Bandwidth Available for Virtual Servers

� FCoE offers 10G bandwidth that can be used by the various VMs in

the server

� Features such as I/O virtualization ensure very fast I/O

� Zero copy TX and RX for each VM

� Server virtualization is a key driver for higher bandwidth needs

� Opportunity to consolidate to fewer more powerful servers with

flexible VM mobility

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Agenda

� FCoE Technology Overview and Benefits

� Factors to consider before migrating to FCoE

� Recommended Migration Strategy

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New Data Centers

� For green-field deployments, the recommended choice is

to go in for an FCoE SAN

� Enables network convergence with 10G as backbone

� Long term OPEX savings due to FCoE

� Optical connectivity with multimode OM3 fiber recommended

� Compatible with 100G, up to a distance of 100m

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Existing Data Centers

� For existing data centers, migrating to FCoE involves five stages:

1. Deploying FCoE at the edge

� For new servers

� For upgrading existing servers

2. Using FCoE for new storage deployments

3. Migrating existing Ethernet to CEE

� Switches implementing final CEE standard expected to be available shortly

4. Using FCoE as the core SAN transport instead of FC

� VE-port support in switches expected to be available in a year

5. Complete SAN refresh: upgrade all FC devices to FCoE

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Migrating to FCoE – Short Term

Stage 1

Stage 2

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Migrating to FCoE – Long Term

Stage 3 Stage 4

Stage 5

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