Emulex iSCSI Over Data Center Bridging

At VMworld 2011, Emulex Corporation announced it is delivering iSCSI over Data Center Bridging (DCB) in support of the Dell EqualLogic PS6510 and PS6010 10GbE iSCSI storage arrays and Dell DCB-enabled networking switches with its OneConnect 10Gb iSCSI adapter. With Emulex’s support for iSCSI over DCB announced now, the OCe11102-I adapter delivers enhanced network convergence, reduced latency and protocol bandwidth management for the new Dell EqualLogic PS Series 10GbE storage arrays running 5.1 firmware.

"With the introduction of iSCSI over DCB, Emulex and Dell are delivering on the promise of network convergence by providing enterprise-class storage solutions," said Shaun Walsh, vice president of marketing, Emulex. "iSCSI is the fastest growing segment of the external storage market and our joint enterprise iSCSI storage solution can now provide the performance and quality of service (QoS) that have traditionally only been available with FC."

Emulex OneConnect 10Gb iSCSI adapters deliver
the following advantages
over 10Gb Network Interface Cards (NICs)
running software initiators:

• More Virtual Machines Per Server: OneConnect 10Gb iSCSI adapters support full iSCSI offload with Emulex vEngine technology for converged and non-converged networks, enabling up to 50 percent more VMs per server when compared to a NIC and software initiator.
• Improved Storage QoS: Emulex’s Enterprise iSCSI solution supports IEEE DCB standards that include Priority Flow Control (PFC) for managing bandwidth allocation between network and storage traffic groups to ensure consistent, lossless data transport.
• Simplified Server Virtualization with vCenter: OneCommand Manager plug-in for VMware vCenter Server lets users manage Emulex adapters directly from the vCenter console for reduced complexity and is the only adapter that integrates with VMware management tools.

The OneCommand Manager plug-in for VMware vCenter Server also provides twice the functionality and takes half the time to manage compared to other adapters.

Dell EqualLogic PS arrays, regardless of generation, work together to automatically manage data, load balance across all resources and expand to meet growing storage needs. The EqualLogic PS6010 and PS6510 arrays with the 5.1 firmware can support OneConnect 10Gb iSCSI adapters as an iSCSI over DCB solution for centralized configuration, management and server integration in converged LAN/SAN environments. This solution enables data centers to use iSCSI storage for more demanding applications that require consistent throughput and low latency, which improves resource utilization and reduces costs.