FCoE benefits: Understanding the deployment environment is the key

Many enterprises' internal communication networks are still mainly dependent on Ethernet, while Fiber Channel (FC) networks are mainly used for storage systems. With the maturity of 10 GB Ethernet, Ethernet-based optical fiber communication technology (FCoE) the New Lossless 10 GB Ethernet technology has become popular in data centers. Now it may be time to integrate fc san storage data streams and common data streams with a unified Ethernet, network convergence allows enterprises to maintain the existing investment in FC storage, reduce the cost and complexity of data centers, and simplify network management.

The use of FCoE has many advantages, and many companies are planning to apply this technology. This article will briefly introduce the FCoE technology and some problems that may occur during the deployment process, finally, we will introduce how enterprises transition to FCoE in stages.

Today, data centers often need to maintain multiple independent networks for different purposes, such:

1. the enterprise's internal network uses Ethernet to transmit short/long distances, or information in the cluster computing environment. Ethernet provides the most cost-effective and efficient way to support various data types, including enterprise LAN, voIP and NFS/CIFS/iSCSI storage.

2. fiber Channel (FC) is used for the storage area network (SAN) to provide block-Level I/O access for applications, such as email servers and large data-intensive databases. FC SAN provides storage integration, centralized storage management, high performance, high reliability, and business continuity.

Both Ethernet/IP data networks and fc san play an important role in data centers, but their design and functions are essentially different. Both networks have their own security mechanisms, communication Mode and independent management tool set. Therefore, each network must be built and maintained based on its own dedicated method, and independent cables are required, the server needs to install an independent NIC for both networks.

The management of two independent networks increases the complexity and cost of daily operations of data centers. Therefore, enterprises are looking for new ways to integrate their IP addresses and SAN networks to improve the efficiency of data centers, better cost effectiveness while protecting investment in FC infrastructure.

Ethernet-based fiber channel (FCoE)

FCoE allows organizations to transmit LAN and fc san communications over a communication cable. The converged network can support LAN and SAN data types, reduce the number of data center devices and cables, and reduce power supply and cooling load, after a unified network is converged, the points to be supported are also reduced, which helps reduce the management burden.

FCoE has become a reality through Enhanced 10 Gbit/s Ethernet technology, which is often referred to as Data Center Bridging (DCB) or Converged Enhanced Ethernet (CEE ), tunnel protocols, such as FCiP and iFCP, are used to transmit long-distance FC communication. However, FCoE is a layer-2 encapsulation protocol that essentially uses the Ethernet physical transmission protocol to transmit FC data. Recently, some progress has been made in Ethernet standards and Planned enhancements, such as the provision of lossless network features on 10 GB Ethernet, to further promote the development of FCoE.

FCoE integrates a single network storage technology to bring great value to organizations that consider integrating server I/O, network, and storage, for data centers that have invested a lot of money in FC, at least FCoE reduces the amount of equipment to be managed, from servers to switches to storage, sharing the same converged network structure, this eliminates the need for dedicated network devices and greatly reduces TCO by maintaining existing investments and backward compatibility.

FCoE Components

Components required to deploy FCoE in the data center include:

Converged network adapters (CNA)-It combines Ethernet adapters and Fiber Channel HBA functions to reduce the number of server adapters purchased by users and the number of ports, and reduced the number of required cables.

FCoE cable-currently, two FCoE cables are available. One is a common optical fiber cable in the FC environment, the other is a new type of copper cable that shields twisted pair wires, and the other is less power used to shield copper cables, the cost is also lower, but its maximum transmission distance is only 10 meters, so users may use optical cables from the switch at the top of the cabinet to the LAN.

FCoE switch-the server and the disk array cannot be directly connected through FCoE. You must purchase a vswitch that supports FCoE/DCB to connect the server to the enterprise LAN, SAN, or FCoE storage system.

FCoE/DCB storage systems-these storage systems are born to support FCoE and Converged Communications, as well as fiber channel to FCoE switches and from FCoE switches to servers.

FCoE makes minor changes to the existing IT infrastructure of enterprise data centers. IT is a natural evolution of FC network technology and aims to transmit data through the Ethernet physical layer and data link layer, its peaceful coexistence with fc san makes FCoE deployment very simple. In addition to fc san hardware, FC software can also be used directly. More importantly, key business applications of enterprises do not need to be changed, it also benefits from the performance and cost of FCoE.

Organization Problems

In traditional data center environments, the storage team is usually responsible for maintaining the fc san, and the Network Team is responsible for maintaining the Ethernet LAN, which are independent of each other, after FCoE is introduced, IT Operation Division may be changed.

The culture, politics, organizational structure, and existing configuration of the data center may bring resistance to FCoE implementation. Sometimes new business processes and procedures must be introduced to ensure proper control mechanisms, in order to ensure the successful deployment and operation of FCoE, the procurement model may also change, and the reliability of Traditional Ethernet networks needs to be enhanced.

With the integration of FC and Ethernet networks, the traditional two independent network O & M teams also need to be integrated, but the implementation of FCoE does not require special IT training. O & M personnel can make full use of the skills they have mastered, the storage team continues to be responsible for SAN maintenance, and the network team continues to be responsible for data network O & M.

Which enterprises can deploy FCoE?

FCoE integration is neither a replacement upgrade nor a destructive process. It can be transferred to FCoE in accordance with the unified planning and distributed implementation principles. For example, in the first stage, you can connect the newly purchased server to FCoE, and in the second stage, transfer non-critical business systems to FCoE. After familiarizing yourself with the transfer process, you can transfer the core network and key business systems to FCoE.

Considering that FCoE is a relatively new technology, the data center can first integrate access layer server I/O, because the storage network needs to be lossless with 10 GB Ethernet technology, 10 Gbit/s Ethernet transmission requires the link layer multi-path and multi-hop capabilities, but these features are still in the development stage and are expected to be released later this year, with these features, you can deploy a larger FCoE.

Methods to determine which environments can deploy FCoE include:

The IT department already has a certain FC skill base and has deployed the FC infrastructure;

Deploying new infrastructure;

We have gained some experience in the experiment environment. We plan to first transfer level 2 or level 3 Non-key business systems to FCoE, and then transfer level 1 applications with experience.

Three steps to deploy FCoE

Transition to FCoE is a progressive process, starting with an edge network switch, then FCoE storage, and then going deep into the enterprise's core network.

Figure 1 shows a typical non-converged FCoE data center network architecture. fc san is a parallel network that requires an independent network port and cable division from an Ethernet ip lan.

Figure 1 network architecture of the data center before DCB/FCoE is not implemented

Stage 1:Transition an edge network to DCB/FCoE

Migrating to a converged or unified Ethernet infrastructure is a gradual process, starting with the edge network (green line in Figure 2), after migrating to FCoE, the number of ports on servers and edge switches can be reduced by half, greatly reducing device investment and operation costs, and enhancing manageability.

Figure 2 network architecture after an edge network switch is transferred to FCoE

Stage 2:Transition to local DCB/FCoE Storage System

From servers to networks, to DCB/FCoE storage, to end-to-end DCB/FCoE solutions, the entire infrastructure supports FCoE and integrated communication.

Stage 3:Transition core network to FCoE

After the edge network is transferred to FCoE, enterprises can also transfer the core network to a 10 Gb enhanced Ethernet network (green line in Figure 3 ).

Figure 3 stage 3-end-to-end FCoE

FCoE brings together two cutting-edge technologies-FC network and enhanced Ethernet physical transmission-to provide a convincing SAN networking option that not only protects fc san investment, but also simplifies management, FCoE allows IT team members to use existing management tools and technologies to manage IP addresses and FC networks.

The Converged data and storage network will promote the application of 10 GB Ethernet in the data center. FCoE relies on its simplicity, efficiency, high utilization, low power consumption, low cooling and low space requirements, this will promote a new wave of data center integration.

Companies that are planning new data centers or preparing to upgrade their existing storage networks should focus on FCoE. After integrating data centers over Ethernet, enterprises should invest in protecting their existing FC infrastructure, A well-developed, cost-effective Ethernet-based network architecture will be gradually formed.