Cisco MDS 9100 Series Multilayer Fabric Switches

The Cisco MDS Fibre Channel Blade Switch, capable of speeds of 4, 2, and 1 Gbps, offers outstanding value by providing flexibility, high-availability, security, and ease-of-use at an affordable price in the form factor to fit IBM BladeCenter (BladeCenter, BladeCenter T, and BladeCenter H) and HP c-Class BladeSystem. With its flexibility to expand ports in increments, the Cisco MDS Fibre Channel Blade Switch offers the densities required from entry level to advanced. Powered by Cisco MDS 9000 SAN-OS Software, it includes advanced storage networking features and functions and is compatible with Cisco MDS 9500 Series Multilayer Directors and Cisco MDS 9200(HWIC-1FE) Series Multilayer Fabric Switches, providing transparent, end-to-end service delivery in core-edge deployments.

Cisco MDS Fibre Channel Blade Switch for IBM BladeCenter

The Cisco MDS Fibre Channel Blade Switch for IBM BladeCenter has two models: the 10-port switch and the 20-port switch. There is a 10-port upgrade license to upgrade from 10 ports to 20 ports. In the10-port model, 7 ports are for internal connections to the server and 3 ports are external. In the 20-port model, 14-ports are for internal connections to the server and 6-ports are external. The Cisco MDS Fibre Channel Blade Switch is supported in the IBM BladeCenter, BladeCenter H, and BladeCenter T. The management of the module is integrated with the IBM Management Suite.

Cisco MDS Fibre Channel Blade Switch for HP C-Class BladeSystem

The Cisco MDS Fibre Channel Blade Switch for HP c-Class BladeSystem has two models: the base 12-port model and the 24-port model. There is a 12-port license upgrade to upgrade the 12-port model from 12 ports to 24 ports. In the 12-port model, 8 ports are for internal connections to the server, and 4 ports are external or storage area network (SAN) facing, In the 24-port model, 16 ports are internal for server connections, and 8 ports are external or SAN facing. The management of the module is integrated with the HP OpenView Management Suite.

Overview

• Intelligent storage networking services at an affordable price-The Cisco MDS Fibre Channel Blade Switch, powered by Cisco MDS 9000 SAN-OS Software, offers intelligent storage networking capabilities such as virtual SANs (VSANs), PortChannels, quality of service (QoS), and security for cost-effective design, deployment, and management of departmental and enterprise SANs.

• Highly available platform for mission-critical deployments-The Cisco MDS Fibre Channel Blade Switch is designed for environments where downtime is not an option. It offers nondisruptive software upgrades, VSANs for fault isolation, and PortChannels for Inter-Switch Link (ISL) resiliency.

• Comprehensive security framework-The Cisco MDS Fibre Channel Blade Switch supports RADIUS and TACACS+, port security, fabric binding, Fibre Channel Security Protocol (FC-SP) host-to-switch and switch-to-switch authentication, Secure FTP (SFTP), Secure Shell Version 2 (SSHv2) and Simple Network Management Protocol Version 3 (SNMPv3) implementing Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), VSANs, hardware-enforced zoning, broadcast zones, and per-VSAN role-based access control (RBAC).

• Simplified storage management-The Cisco MDS Fibre Channel Blade Switch includes built-in storage network management, with all features available through a command-line interface (CLI) or Cisco Fabric Manager, a centralized management tool that simplifies management of a standalone switch or multiple switches and fabrics.

• Sophisticated diagnostics-Industry-leading intelligent diagnostics such as Fibre Channel Ping, Fibre Channel Traceroute, Switched Port Analyzer (SPAN), Cisco Fabric Analyzer, and integrated call-home capability enhance reliability, facilitate faster problem resolution, and reduce service costs.

• Reduced total cost of ownership (TCO)-Common platform architecture and the use of Cisco MDS 9000 SAN-OS Software intelligent storage-networking services across all Cisco MDS 9000 family switches reduce ongoing operating expenses by providing a consistent set of provisioning, management, and diagnostic capabilities.

Figure 1 shows the switches.

Figure 1. Cisco MDS Fibre Channel Blade Switch for IBM and HP C-class BladeSystem