Data center virtualization has created a market transition where IT organizations are trying to reduce costs and increase flexibility. The typical data center environment supports two to three parallel networks: one for data, one for storage, and possibly one for server clustering. In addition, servers often have dedicated interfaces for management, backup, or virtual machine live migration. Supporting these interfaces imposes significant costs related to interfaces, cabling, rack space, upstream switches, and power and cooling.

Brocade Data Center Fabric (DCF) Architecture

Brocade is an industry leader in data center networking solutions and services that enable organizations to manage their most vital information assets. To address the wide variety of requirements for next-generation data centers, Brocade has developed an architectural foundation and evolutionary strategy: The Brocade Data Center Fabric (DCF) architecture.

Brocade DCF’s intelligent, policy-based framework is designed to help organizations protect their existing technology investments while integrating strategic new technologies that support scalable, efficient growth. This unique approach incorporates:

• A shared resource model that leverages a decade of Brocade experience in building low-latency, high-performance enterprise networks.
• Connectivity of applications and their data within data center environments.
• File and block data
• Virtualized server and storage islands
• Multiprotocol connectivity to meet evolving business requirements.
• Unified end-to-end connectivity and management (server-to-server, server-to-storage, and storage-to-storage) to reduce complexity.

Brocade DCX Backbone: A New Class of Network Infrastructure
Existing Brocade solutions play a key role in the Brocade DCF architecture strategy by facilitating non-disruptive expansion and delivering unmatched performance and energy efficiency. However, implementing large-scale server virtualization, adaptive networking, and multiple high-performance protocols ultimately requires a new class of network infrastructure: the data center backbone.

Designed to meet these growing performance, scalability, and cost-efficiency requirements, the Brocade DCX Backbone complements any data center environment, providing the core foundation for the Brocade DCF architecture. It features breakthrough performance, a highly robust services platform, seamless interoperability across fabrics, and future-built extensibility for next-generation data centers.