FCoE for VMware-virtual envt

NEW DELHI, INDIA: As part of their ongoing collaboration, Cisco, NetApp, and VMware have announced what they call the industry’s first certified end-to-end Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) solution for VMware-virtual environments.

This combined solution supports FCoE end-to-end to reduce the number of devices and cables needed and to drive data center consolidation, virtualization, and automation, as per a press release. Cisco data center switches and NetApp storage FCoE solutions are now validated by VMware to support VMware-based virtualized environments, marking a significant milestone for the progression of the FCoE protocol to help more customers achieve efficiency in their dynamic data centers and progress on their journey to cloud computing.

"Cisco, NetApp, and VMware are currently the only networking, storage, and virtualization vendors to combine data center consolidation, virtualization, and automation in a jointly certified end-to-end FCoE solution that includes both FCoE initiators (such as Converged Network Adaptors) and FCoE storage targets.

“Vital to our solution is a unique service-oriented infrastructure based on the Cisco, NetApp, and VMware offering, that includes all server, storage, and networking hardware and software to facilitate sharing, reuse, and dynamic resource allocation. The announcement that VMware has validated Cisco and NetApp end-to-end FCoE in virtual environments will help us consolidate our data center infrastructure so we can achieve greater efficiency, performance, and overall cost savings.” said Rob Christ, founder and director, Databasement

Bob Olwig, vice president of Corporate Business Development, World Wide Technology added, “VMware’s certification of Cisco networking with the NetApp Storage FCoE solution is significant for our customers who are demanding an end to the complexity and headaches associated with a myriad of cables, multiple interface cards, and switches. World Wide Technology is laser-focused in helping customers integrate disparate technologies in complex physical and virtualized environments. We are very pleased to be working with Cisco, NetApp, and VMware, which have delivered the industry’s first FCoE solution that squarely addresses data center customer requirements.”

Mark Hilz, president and chief operating officer, INX said, “A validated end-to-end FCoE solution from virtualized server through the network to the storage arrays will help our customers drive a level of consolidation, virtualization, and automation that up until now was not possible. The collaboration among Cisco, NetApp, and VMware continues to yield technology advancements that accelerate business agility and delivers on the promise of enabling a dynamic virtualized data center.”