New QLogic FlexSuite PCIe 3.0 Network Adapter Platform …

Extending its Adaptive Convergence strategy and furthering its position in flexible data center technologies, QLogic Corp. announced a new FlexSuite network adapter platform with the flexibility to power native 16Gb FC or 10Gb Ethernet converged networks from the same hardware.

QLogic FlexSuite adapters allow customers to evolve their data centers at their own pace and provide the versatility to handle any protocol, any host, any storage and any fabric, addressing the demands of evolving enterprises, and providing agility for flexible private cloud designs.  
 
Based on QLogic’s third-generation converged networking and fifth-generation FC technologies, QLogic has developed a new, single controller to power both native 16Gb FC and 10Gb Ethernet converged networks.

Expanding on its portfolio, QLogic FlexSuite PCIe generation 3.0-compliant adapters, powered by the new controller, are currently sampling to Tier-1 server and storage OEMs and will be available in a variety of form factors giving OEMs the capability to deliver 16Gb FC and 10Gb enhanced Ethernet with support for FCoE or iSCSI through the same adapter.
 
The FlexSuite adapter portfolio leverages the same QLogic FC, iSCSI, Ethernet and FCoE software currently qualified and shipping from all major server and storage OEMs. By leveraging the same software across the FlexSuite adapter portfolio and all previous generation products, end-customers can protect their investments and achieve application performance across virtualized and non-virtual environments.
 
"Customers continue to demand protocol flexibility and true convergence from their networking partners," said Amit Vashi, vice president of marketing, Host Solutions Group, QLogic. "This is why we have combined our 16Gb FC and 10Gb Ethernet converged networking technologies into a convenient, single-architecture design, allowing OEMs, enterprises and cloud service providers to standardize on one flexible, platform."
 
FlexSuite adapter portfolio offers additional capabilities:

• ConvergeFlex: Processing of native 16Gb FC in addition to TCP/IP, FC over Ethernet (FCoE) and iSCSI protocols simultaneously from the same hardware.
• FlexOffload: One million FC or FCoE IOPs and line-rate throughput with hardware offload for FC, TCP/IP, iSCSI, FCoE and IPsec protocols providing low CPU utilization.
• VMflex: Support for all major I/O virtualization technologies such as Flex-10, VEB, VEPA, VN-link, NPAR as well as single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV) for both FC/FCoE storage and networking.
• SecureFlex: IPsec-based security with enhancements to protect TCP/IP and iSCSI data travelling in-flight over Ethernet to ensure valuable data are uncompromised.

"While many data centers are heavily invested in FC, aggressive adoption of 10GbE is just starting to ramp up," said Arun Taneja, founder and consulting analyst, Taneja Group. "A single-chip, dual-personality product helps reduce power while optimizing virtualization efforts and will be a key enabler to protect legacy investments and assist in data center transformation efforts."
 
Tier One OEMs Embracing
QLogic Adaptive Convergence Strategy:
 
Dell
"Dell and QLogic have worked together to drive next-generation I/O virtualization and convergence solutions," said Brian Payne, executive director for Dell PowerEdge Servers. "Dell is committed to customers for delivering open, efficient and flexible IT solutions in the virtual era and is jointly partnered with QLogic in providing the infrastructure components leveraging QLogic’s Adaptive Convergence strategy. The benefits of one standardized platform are obvious to server and network administrators who wish to increase efficiencies with enhanced 10GbE performance, while supporting legacy and future FC speeds with a single adapter."
 
EMC
"EMC and QLogic share a common vision on next-generation, high performance storage networking solutions that make IT more agile, while protecting investments, lowering operating costs and increasing performance," said Deirdre Wassell, director, Solutions Marketing, EMC. "The QLogic Adaptive Convergence Strategy aligns with EMC’s Cloud Infrastructure, and ensures advanced network adapter platforms are available for EMC customers as they Journey to the Cloud."
 
HP
"Consolidating network access equipment at the server edge is critical to reducing clients’ network sprawl and management complexity," said Tom Joyce, vice president of Marketing, Strategy and Operations for Storage at HP. "The combination of HP Converged Infrastructure and QLogic’s FlexSuite adapter architecture enables clients to simplify management while protecting legacy IT investments in FC and FCoE."
 
Juniper
"With the launch of their next-generation FlexSuite adapter, QLogic offers simplified migration and robust I/O throughput that complements our ‘cloud-ready’ vision of the data center," said Anjan Venkatramani, vice president, product line management, Juniper. "Allowing customers to scale at their own pace as opposed to a complete infrastructure overhaul is a trait shared by the Juniper Networks QFX3000 QFabric Switch and QLogic FlexSuite adapters. This approach provides a simplified and highly flexible network architecture which is critical for successful, long-term growth in the data center."
 
Microsoft
"Windows Server Hyper-V customers need networking solutions that reduce complexity and provide flexibility for the virtualized data center, private cloud, and public cloud," said Manlio Vecchiet, director of product marketing, Windows Server and Virtualization, at Microsoft. "As IT organizations migrate to 10GbE converged infrastructures, solutions that support Microsoft virtualization, such as QLogic’s FlexSuite adapter, address a real need. Microsoft is pleased to work with QLogic on this."
 
NetApp
"NetApp and QLogic have been collaborating to help customers increase IT efficiency, reduce costs, and innovate to deliver network convergence through the development of FCoE and NetApp’s Unified Connect," said Patrick Rogers, vice president of Corporate Alliances, NetApp. "NetApp’s Unified Architecture is ideally suited to enable this next evolution of convergence by offering a single storage platform that offers the efficiency, flexibility and management required as customers transition to shared IT infrastructures."
 
Oracle
"The need for greater efficiency and flexibility are driving the demand for cloud computing and virtualization technologies," said Monica Kumar, senior director, Product Marketing, Oracle. "By using products like QLogic’s new FlexSuite adapters combined with the Oracle VM virtualization technology, customers can create an innovative, efficient and high bandwidth storage networking IT infrastructure that can also support future data center growth."
 
VMware
"As customers build high-performance converged data centers that require innovation in virtualized networking, QLogic’s new FlexSuite adapters with key technologies such as VMflex will help deliver highly optimized application and VM scalability in virtualized environments," said Parag Patel, vice president, Global Strategic Alliances, VMware. "By using VMware vSphere with QLogic’s virtualization-ready technologies, customers will be able to immediately realize significant efficiency and agility benefits."