Emulex OneConnect: 10GbE Universal Converged Network Adapter Platform

Emulex Corporation announced Emulex OneConnect, a groundbreaking single-chip, high performance connectivity architecture, which is the foundation  for Emulex’s Universal Converged Network Adapters (UCNAs) that enable true network convergence. The Emulex OneConnect 10Gb/s Ethernet UCNA platform is designed to lower capital expenditures, maximize blade consolidation and is designed for use in server virtualization environments.

The Emulex OneConnect UCNA platform supports Enhanced Ethernet protocols that support IP and storage networking, including TCP/IP, iSCSI, NAS and  FCoE, and all leading server architectures within a single hardware platform, enabling data center managers to meet the performance and architecture requirements of networking, storage and clustering applications. Consolidation onto a converged infrastructure simplifies deployment and significantly lowers cost in three ways. Based on Emulex’s Convergonomics Cost Calculator, Emulex One Connect UCNAs can provide up to:

• 28% savings on switches, adapters and rack space;
• 42% savings on power and cooling; and
• 80% savings on cabling

“As businesses seek operational efficiencies, business responsiveness and strategic advantage to compete in global markets, maximizing data center operations is a key stratagem. Network convergence is a pivotal technology for reducing data center costs, complexity and resources,” said Steve Daheb, chief market officer and senior vice president of business development, Emulex Corporation. “Emulex’s OneConnect UCNA is an integral part of the network convergence ecosystem that reduces CapEx and OpEx, by enabling increased data center consolidation, virtualization and operational efficiency.”

Emulex OneConnect UCNAs, powered by Emulex’s VEngine technology, deliver the industry’s highest CPU offload efficiency, virtual adapter port count, and quality of service (QoS) bandwidth allocation, enabling greater virtual machine (VM) consolidation with more VMs per CPU, resulting in exceptional savings on both capital and operating expenses. Emulex OneConnect UCNAs deliver wire speed performance in full-duplex mode of operation, regardless of the mix of protocol traffic.

Emulex OneConnect UCNAs are administered using the company’s newly announced OneCommand management framework, which that enables centralized enterprise management for I/O services, connectivity, virtualization, security and QoS within a single management interface that is optimized for converged networking environments. OneConnect UCNAs offer investment protection for existing Emulex LightPulse Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) CNAs, leveraging Emulex’s field-proven software stack, drivers and management tools, enabling data center managers to extending their existing investments in infrastructure, management, training and processes.

“Emulex is taking a forward-thinking approach to network convergence at a time when cost savings and reduction of complexity in the data center are at a premium,” said Vikram Mehta, President and CEO of BLADE Network Technologies. “Emulex’s OneConnect Universal CNAs support all standard network protocols and all server architectures and enable high-density consolidation of virtual machines, which makes for an ideal fit with BLADE’s bladed and top-of-rack 10 Gigabit Ethernet switches. We are delighted to partner with Emulex to enable the dynamic data center and open the way to true network convergence.”

“Juniper has a long-term strategy for delivering a simplified data center that allows businesses to scale the network quickly and cost-effectively, without compromise,” said Andy Ingam, vice president of product marketing, Emerging Technologies, Juniper Networks. “What Emulex is offering is a significant step toward delivering improved data center consolidation, convergence, virtualization and security for our mutual customers.”

To hear Emulex executives discuss this news as part of the company’s larger strategic direction