Welcome!

SDN Journal Authors: Jim Shepherd, Walter Hinton, Kevin Nikkhoo, Esmeralda Swartz, Paul Carpentier

News Feed Item

Dell Networking Helps Accelerate Deployment of 10 Gigabit Virtualized and Cloud Data Centers with New Switching Platform and SDN Capabilities

Dell today announced new additions to its networking portfolio to help customers enhance their networks to thrive in next-generation, software-defined 10G cloud and virtualized data centers.

Dell S4820T - High-Performance 1/10/40G Top-of-Rack Switch

The Dell S4820T top-of-rack (ToR) switch is purpose-built for deployment in high-performance data center and cloud computing environments, leveraging the popularity of twisted-pair copper cabling and providing the right mix of scalability, performance, operational simplicity and cost-effectiveness.

The Dell S4820T is powered by the Force10 operating system (FTOS) and designed to support both Layer 2 and Layer 3 functionality required for Web 2.0, enterprise and cloud server provider data centers.

Key features include:

  • 10GBASE-T connectivity - seamless migration from one gigabit to 10 gigabit servers: Especially for customers looking to consolidate server I/O at 10G, Dell enables low-cost copper connectivity between servers and switches, allowing maximum investment protection and cable reuse.
  • LAN/SAN convergence: The S4820T is also ideal for customers aiming to consolidate LAN and SAN traffic over a common DCB-enabled 10G switching fabric and is one of the first copper-based 10G switches in the industry to support Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) using twisted-pair cabling. To that end, the S4820T is being lab tested by leading 10GBASE-T network interface card (NIC) and converged network adapter (CNA) vendors—Broadcom, Emulex, Intel and QLogic.
  • High-performance fabric uplinks: The S4820T is equipped with four 40G uplinks providing for high-speed fabric connectivity enabling scalable multi-rack deployments demanded by larger customers.

Dell MXL 10/40GbE Blade Switch and PowerEdge M I/O Aggregator – Fast-Growing Dell Networking Offerings

Dell Networking continues to experience significant growth in blade switching - with the Dell MXL blade switch and the Dell PowerEdge M I/O Aggregator – reflecting customers' movement to 10/40G in the data center and more streamlined architectures for server and storage connectivity.

The Dell MXL - powered by FTOS and purpose-built for the Dell PowerEdge M1000e blade server chassis - is a full-featured 1/10/40GbE Layer 2 and Layer 3 blade switch that offers increased bandwidth, scalability, performance and operational simplicity for data center and campus environments. The Dell PowerEdge M I/O Aggregator offers similar connectivity options and is optimized for plug-and-play simplicity and rapid ‘configuration-free’ deployments.

Both products support local switching of server-to-server (east-west) traffic within the PowerEdge 1000e chassis. This enhances network performance as traffic no longer has to travel up to – and back down from – the data center core as other architectures require.

Commercial Availability of OpenFlow in FTOS

Dell also announced the commercial availability of OpenFlow for its FTOS code base. Available now for the Dell Z9000 and S4810 data center switches, OpenFlow is a key technology enabler for next-generation software-defined network (SDN) deployments. The new software is fully compliant with available standards-based OpenFlow controllers, including the Big Switch Controller from Dell partner Big Switch Networks.

The addition of commercially available OpenFlow functionality reinforces Dell’s commitment to software-defined infrastructure. Dell is one of the only vendors to offer a complete and unbiased approach to SDN embracing legacy networking environments, greenfield controller-based deployments as well as hypervisor-oriented architectures.

Dell is a founding member of the Open Network Foundation and a significant innovator and contributor in the SDN community. Dell has participated in numerous conferences, proof-of-concepts and public demonstrations to date.

Quotes

“We’re seeing strong momentum in our Dell Networking business with double-digit revenue growth in our last quarter,” said Tom Burns, vice president and general manager, Dell Networking. “We see networking as a key enabler in helping enterprise customers move to next-generation, 10 and 40G solutions in application-aware, converged, virtualized and hybrid cloud environments.”

"We expect the Ethernet Switch market to experience two significant years of market growth in 2013 and 2014 from the migration of servers towards 10 Gigabit Ethernet," said Alan Weckel, Senior Director of Dell'Oro Group. "We believe that in 2013, most large enterprises will upgrade to 10 Gigabit Ethernet for server access through a mix of connectivity options ranging from blade servers, SFP+, SFP+ direct attach and 10GBASE-T.”

"Private cloud, storage, and big data analytics usage models are driving the need for increased bandwidth," said Dawn Moore, general manager, Intel Networking Division. "The Intel Ethernet CNA X540 with the Dell S4820T 10GBASE-T switch provides customers an easy migration from an existing 1G infrastructure to a high-performing, cost-effective 10G network. We've also jointly validated FCoE interoperability on this combination to help facilitate a smooth migration to a next-generation converged network."

Availability

The Dell S4820T is available worldwide now from Dell and its global PartnerDirect channel partners.

Additional Information

Dell Networking
Dell SDN point of view whitepaper
Dell S4820T – Direct2Dell post

About Dell

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. For more information, visit www.dell.com.

About Dell Networking

Dell has been delivering high-performance reliable networking solutions for more than a decade and today powers some of the world’s most demanding Enterprise and Cloud/Web 2.0 environments.

Dell is a trademark of Dell Inc. Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

More Stories By Business Wire

Copyright © 2009 Business Wire. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Business Wire content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Business Wire. Business Wire shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

Cloud Expo Breaking News
“I believe it is incumbent on the Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) and/or System Integrators (SIs) to understand the regulatory and compliance-related issues that their customers face,” noted Manjula Talreja, VP of Global Cloud Business Development at Cisco, in this exclusive Q&A with Cloud Expo Conference Chair Jeremy Geelan. “Of course these issues are different in each industry and in each country.” Cloud Computing Journal: The move to cloud isn't about saving money, it is about saving time - ...
“Regulations and compliance are key trust topics with regards to cloud solutions and technology,” noted Sven Denecken, Vice President, Strategy and Co-Innovation Cloud Solutions, SAP AG, in this exclusive Q&A with Cloud Expo Conference Chair Jeremy Geelan. “But it is also more than security of access – it is portability of data and a clear definition of where the data resides.” Cloud Computing Journal: The move to cloud isn't about saving money, it is about saving time – agree or disagree? Sve...
Many organizations want to expand upon the IaaS foundation to deliver cloud services in all forms – software, mobility, infrastructure and IT. Understanding the strategy, planning process and tools for this transformation will help catalyze changes in the way the business operates and deliver real value.
WSO2 on Thursday announced that WSO2 Vice President of Technology Evangelism Chris Haddad and SUSE Business Development Manager Frank Rego will lead a joint presentation at 12 International Cloud Expo. The session, "Bridging IaaS and PaaS to Deliver the Service-Oriented Data Center," is part of the event's Enterprise Cloud Computing Track on Thursday, June 13, 2013. The Cloud Expo conference is being held June 10-13, 2013 at the Javits Center in New York City. Bridging IaaS and PaaS to Deliver ...
IT has more opportunities than ever before with the growth in users, devices, data and secure cloud services. This creates not only a more enriching experience for users, but more opportunities for businesses. The key to capitalizing on these opportunities is to have the right tools in place to help scale operations. In his Day 3 Keynote at 12th Cloud Expo | Cloud Expo New York [June 10-13, 2013], Intel's Rob Crooke will describe the range of products that Intel provides to support different usa...
Quantum Corp., a proven global expert in data protection and Big Data management, has announced that Senior Vice President of Cloud Solutions Henrik Rosendahl will present a session exploring the future of cloud data protection and the impact of data reduction technologies on cloud storage at the 12th International Cloud Expo. The conference takes place June 10-13 at the Javits Center in New York City. Rosendahl will explore trends in cloud-based backup and disaster recovery (DR) and how curre...
One of the cloud’s biggest draws is the capability to virtualize computing resources, allowing it to be consumed with the click of a mouse. But behind that simple click is an enormous infrastructure challenge that has recently been cited as a major cause for slower enterprise adoption. Enterprises can better prepare for this shift and take full advantage of future computing benefits. Between architecture design and migration planning, the road can be long, so what do you do with your talent? I...
In the old world of IT, if you didn't have hardware capacity or the budget to buy more, your project was dead in the water. Budget constraints can leave some of the best, most creative and most ingenious innovations on the cutting room floor. It’s a true dilemma for developers and innovators – why spend the time creating, when a project could be abandoned in a blink? That was the old world. In the new world of IT, developers rule. They have access to resources they can spin up instantly. A hyb...
INetU, the industry's experts in complex hosting and a global provider of business-centric managed cloud and application hosting, has announced that Cloud Architect Rich Hand will be presenting "Private Cloud, Public Cloud - Is There a Third Option?" at the 12th International Cloud Expo taking place June 10-13, 2013 in New York City. As more enterprise IT departments move into the cloud, many executives are evaluating whether to adopt a Public or Private cloud. The cost benefits of the Public ...
“I’m careful when using terms like Big Data, because it can mean so many things to different people,” explained Eric Hanselman, Chief Analyst at 451 Research, in this exclusive Q&A with Cloud Expo Conference Chair Jeremy Geelan. “There is huge value in analytics that companies can use to pull intelligence from a collection of data sources that are available in their businesses. The inexpensive storage that cloud services can offer make a great environment to pull together siloed data.” Cloud Co...