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Enterprise Strategy Group Lab Review Validates the Seamless Integration of Emulex FCoE Converged Network Adapters into Existing Storage Networks
August 2008 by Marc Jacob
Emulex Corporation announced the results of an Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) Lab Validation, which evaluated the Emulex LightPulse® LP21000 family of converged network adapters (CNAs) within a virtualized server environment. The lab results confirm that Emulex Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE)-based CNAs provide transparent network and storage connectivity for physical and virtual servers, while leveraging existing management tools and processes as traditional Fibre Channel host bus adapters (HBAs).
ESG tested Emulex CNAs within a VMware ESX 3.5 server environment running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 guests. Overall, the results showed that Emulex CNAs mirror the capabilities of Emulex Fibre Channel HBAs and deliver the value behind FCoE. A converged network, utilizing FCoE, allows traffic to be seamlessly transported over an Enhanced 10Gb/s Ethernet network with fewer ports, fewer cards inside servers and fewer cables, while providing investment protection for existing Fibre Channel storage area networks (SANs).
Other key findings include:
Reduced Network Complexity: ESG found that because Emulex CNAs share a common driver stack, field-proven HBAnyware management tools and N-Port ID Virtualization (NPIV) support, customers will see a reduction in network complexity and total cost of ownership, as well as overall data center consolidation benefits.
Simplified Configuration and Use: In an ease-of-use and configuration test, ESG found that Emulex CNAs are recognized by both VMware and Windows as a Fibre Channel HBA and a 10Gb/s Ethernet adapter, without any special software. The configuration is exactly the same as with traditional Fibre Channel adapters and Ethernet and network interface cards (NICs). A customer currently evaluating Emulex CNAs commented that the installation was very simple as the LP21000 “looked just like any HBA” in their environment and was easily installed using the same driver package used for standard Fibre HBAs. Even more telling was the statement: “In fact, I didn’t even have to read the manual.”
Dependable Performance: The review also demonstrated that virtual machine migration using Emulex CNAs takes just moments, without interrupting ongoing activities, even with data-intensive applications, such as live streaming video. A migration between servers took just seconds to accomplish without interruption to ongoing activity. In addition, Emulex CNAs support NPIV, allowing multiple Fibre Channel initiators to occupy the same physical port, simplifying adapter migration. During customer testing using both Emulex CNAs and HBAs, performance was on par across both, with a negligible difference in latency.
