Cisco MDS 9134 Multilayer Fabric Switch

The Cisco MDS 9134 Multilayer Fabric Switch (Figure 1), designed for mid range to large enterprise customers, provides line-rate 4-Gbps and 10-Gbps ports based on a purpose-built "switch-on-a-chip" application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) with high performance, high density, and enterprise-class availability. The switch offers outstanding value by providing flexibility, high-availability, security, and ease of use at an affordable price in a compact one-rack-unit (1RU) form factor. With the flexibility to expand from 24 to 32 ports in 8-port increments and optionally activate 2 10-Gbps ports, the Cisco MDS 9134 offers the densities required for top-of-the-rack switch and edge connectivity in enterprise SANs. The Cisco MDS 9134 offers non-blocking architecture, with all 32 4-Gbps ports and the 2 10-Gbps ports operating at line rate concurrently.

The 10-Gbps ports support a range of optics for connection to the Cisco MDS 9000 family core using 10-Gbps Inter-Switch Link (ISL) connectivity. The Cisco MDS 9134 can also be stacked using copper CX4 X2 transceivers to cost effectively offer up to 64-port densities. The Cisco MDS 9134 supports quick configuration and task wizards that allow it to be deployed quickly and easily in networks of any size. Powered by Cisco MDS 9000 NX-OS/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 Series Multilayer Fabric Switches, providing transparent, end-to-end service delivery in core-edge deployments.

Figure 1. Cisco MDS 9134 Multilayer Fabric Switch

Highlights

• Exceptional flexibility and scalability: The Cisco MDS 9134 offers up to 32 autosensing Fibre Channel ports capable of speeds of 4, 2, and 1 Gbps and 2 10-Gbps ports in a compact 1RU form-factor chassis with 4 Gbps of dedicated bandwidth for each port and an aggregate platform bandwidth of 352 Gbps. The base configuration has 24 active ports with the flexibility to upgrade onsite to 32 ports in 8-port increments with Cisco MDS 9134 On-Demand Port Activation Licenses.

• High-performance connectivity: The 10-Gbps ports can be activated independently in 24- or 32-port configurations. The Cisco MDS 9134 is an ideal platform for a standalone departmental storage area network (SAN) switch, top-of-the-rack switch, and edge switch in enterprise core-edge SANs. Two Cisco MDS 9134 switches can be stacked together using copper CX4 X2 transceivers to form up to a 64-port switch.

• Intelligent storage networking services at an affordable price: The Cisco MDS 9134, powered by Cisco MDS 9000 NX-OS/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 9134 is designed for environments where downtime is unacceptable. It offers nondisruptive software upgrades, dual hot-swappable power supplies (with integrated fans for redundancy), hot-swappable fans, VSANs for fault isolation, and Port Channels for ISL resiliency.

• Comprehensive security framework: The Cisco MDS 9134 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 9134 includes built-in storage network management, with all features available through a command-line interface (CLI) or the Cisco Fabric Manager, a centralized management tool with task-based wizards that simplify management of a standalone switch or multiple switches and fabrics.

• IBM Fiber Connection (FICON) protocol integration: FICON Control Unit Port (CUP) management and switch cascading facilitate mainframe connectivity. VSANs allow hardware-based separation of Fibre Channel and FICON traffic switched on a single physical SAN, decreasing overall total cost of ownership (TCO) without compromising scalability, availability, manageability, or network security.

• 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 TCO: Common platform architecture and the use of Cisco MDS 9000 NX-OS/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 2. Cisco MDS 9134:Two Cisco MDS 9134 Switches Stacked Using 10GBASE Copper CX4