Extreme, Exar extend support to VMware environment

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Network solutions provider Extreme Networks Inc., expanded its support for Direct Attach virtualized data centre network architecture for VMware environments. 

Working with its data centre ecosystem partner Exar, Extreme Networks will demonstrate the benefits of virtual machine switching moved back into the network.

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The data centre solution for VMware features Exar’s X3100 10 Gigabit Ethernet network interface card (10GbE NIC) and Extreme's Summit X650.  

The Direct Attach data center architecture features Extreme’s Networks implementation of virtual machine switching performed in the network rather than in servers.

The company claims that with this approach Direct Attach reduces network switching tiers by eliminating the virtual switch tier, and thus reduces cost, end—to-end latency, and security issues in the virtualized network while simplifying management.

"Using Direct Attach, Extreme Networks and Exar enable customers to utilize standard diagnostic and monitoring tools on virtualized networking traffic," said Rob Reiner, director of marketing, Datacom and Storage, for Exar. "This simplifies management, preserves investments in data center equipment and reduces total cost of ownership."

Direct Attach is available through a software feature pack with the ExtremeXOS operating system and provides functionality across the entire data centre product portfolio, from the Summit X450, to the Summit X480, Summit X650 and BlackDiamond 8800 series chassis switches.