IBM System Networking SAN96B-5 Delivers 16Gb FC Switches

System Networking SAN96B-5 16 Gbps Gen 5 FC switches from IBM Corp. offer cloud storage networking with the following capabilities:

• 96 16Gb FC ports supporting 2, 4, 8, 10, and 16G/s speeds
• Scalable Ports on Demand (PoD) configuration from 48 to 96 ports in 24-port increments to accommodate various sizes of SAN (SAN) fabric environments
• Small footprint and low energy consumption in 2U of space
• Three-step deployment with EZSwitchSetup
• Integrated management with the IBM Network Advisor Version 12

Overview
SAN96B-5 switches are designed to meet the demands of virtualized, private cloud storage and data center environments by delivering a dense switch with 16Gb FC technology and enterprise functionality.

The following SAN96B-5 features enable:

• Up to 16Gb/s speed with a maximum of 96 ports in an energy-efficient, 2U form factor
• Two models with different airflow options to support hot aisle/cold aisle configurations
• Ports on Demand (PoD) capability for scaling from 48 to 96 ports in 24-port increments
• Speeds of 2, 4, 8, 10, or up to 16Gb/s on all ports, producing an aggregate up to 1,536Gb/s full-duplex throughput
• 16Gb/s optimized Inter-Switch Links (ISLs) with trunking of any eight ports for 128Gb/s ISL
• Up to 8 in-flight encryption and compression ports, delivering data center-to-data center security and bandwidth savings
• Exchange-based Dynamic Path Selection (DPS) optimizes fabric-wide performance and load balancing by automatically routing data to the most efficient and available path in the fabric

SAN96B-5 switches deliver SAN technology within a flexible and simple solution. In addition to providing scalability, these models can address demanding reliability, availability, and serviceability requirements to help minimize downtime to support mission-critical cloud environments with:

• Simple configuration through EZSwitchSetup Wizard
• Diagnostic Port (D-Port) feature for physical media diagnostic, troubleshooting, and verification services
• Resiliency with nondisruptive software upgrades and redundant power supply
• Streamlined deployment and troubleshooting time with dynamic fabric provisioning, critical monitoring, and diagnostic features

Key prerequisites
System Networking SAN b-type switch family supports FC connectivity for servers and storage. SAN96B-5 Switches support all features and functions as indicated and require Fabric OS level 7.1.0, or later.

Planned availability date

• May 24, 2013: 2498-F96 and features #5600, #7214, #7409, and #7414
• July 12, 2013: 2498-N96