Integration of Ethernet and storage networks is expected in the future

With the continuous development of the network, the current network environment has been somewhat unable to adapt to technological advances, especially in the enterprise network, Enterprise Directors and IT managers hope that their networks can be secure and easy to use, however, different network segments cannot work together.

The fact is that, even in the already successful Ethernet technology field, its functional and performance innovations continue, therefore, we need to pay close attention to the key issue of ensuring interoperability.

1. Over the past two years when 40 Gbit/s and 100 Gbit/s Ethernet were introduced, the Ethernet ecosystem has grown to all application fields seeking for higher-speed migration. The emergence of data center bridging (DCB) makes it possible to integrate Ethernet and storage networks in the future.

If you do not focus on implementing and maintaining interoperability, service interruption may occur not only between new networks, but also between new and historical infrastructures.

2. For enterprise managers and IT managers, investing in verified and interoperable systems can address some of the main concerns, such as the risks, costs, and complexity that may occur during expansion, the interoperability test provides a safe and friendly scenario for Ethernet vendors to implement and demonstrate the interoperability in the early technical prototype deployment.

A leader in multiple projects will connect to devices of different vendors one by one to determine whether the sent and received traffic can meet expectations.

In case of problems, All testers will exchange views and, in some cases, the vendor may make necessary modifications to the Technical prototype in the interoperability test. Even if no on-site modification is made, each vendor can return to the lab with some whimsy about solving the problem.

3. For the purchaser of the Ethernet technology, the advantage is that it can greatly reduce the risk of problems in deployment or service interruptions in the future. However, this is not all about the problem. Interoperability will make the competition more intense.

With the ability to interoperate with the existing Ethernet infrastructure, enterprise directors and IT managers can select devices of different vendors without being "pinned" by the exclusive systems of a vendor ". Due to the competitive effect, the purchaser can get a more favorable price.

In this way, interoperability stimulates market competition in terms of price. At the same time, in the transition from old technology to new technology, interoperability also gives enterprise managers more choices and guarantees, and the cost and complexity of expansion and planning are also reduced.

Iv. Since the start of the IEEE802 standard, the global Ethernet community has become more challenging to achieve interoperability in the Ethernet ecosystem, even in the automobile industry, therefore, they need a more comprehensive view than ever before.

Previously, Ethernet interoperability only needed to ensure the interoperability of a few vendors at a specified Ethernet speed. Today, the global Ethernet ecosystem is trying to ensure cross-Network-layer and cross-generation device interoperability. At the same time, it is also necessary to ensure that these cross-generation devices have end-to-end interoperability across multiple infrastructures at multiple speeds.

5. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the bandwidth requirements of other components in the core network and ecosystem are facing severe challenges because they all need to deploy products based on new and faster technologies.

If the deployment of a solution is based on open-standard products, the solution has the advantages of low risk, low cost, and simple deployment.

Of course, although standard-based solutions have strong seamless interoperability, there is still a long way to go to take advantage of these advantages.

6. While understanding the increasing requirements for interoperability, the Ethernet alliance began to carefully arrange interoperability tests, standard-based Ethernet products and their management of multi-vendor interoperability demonstration the recent focus of the Ethernet alliance is to demonstrate 10g and 40G Ethernet, And the seamless interoperability between the next-generation fusion technology.

With the ever-increasing speed of Ethernet technology innovation, in the creation of next-generation networks and routers that support the evaluation of Ethernet bandwidth in the IEEE 802.3 industry, multi-vendor interoperability is becoming an increasingly critical factor in reducing risks, costs, and complexity.