Simplifying networks in virtualized environments with Intel technology
Date
:
6/18/2010
The success of virtualization, while substantial, has been limited by the complexity that has arisen from networking with Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) technology. Networking virtualized hosts with GbE is typically based on relatively large numbers of dedicated physical connections, which are used to segregate different types of traffic because of networking infrastructure and bandwidth limitations from 1 Gbps connectivity. Organizations pay for this complexity in increased management and equipment costs, as well as increased power usage.
As 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) technology enters the mainstream, IT organizations are considering how they can use it to help simplify their virtualized environments. Consolidating multiple GbE traffic flows onto a reduced number of 10GbE connections helps reduce complexity and cost. However, many IT administrators have expressed concerns that quality of service (QoS), security, or performance may suffer as a result of this traffic convergence. These concerns have prevented some organizations from taking full advantage of 10GbE technology.
Cumulative experience among Dell, Intel, and VMware together with advances in Dell™ PowerEdge™ servers, Intel® 10GbE server adapters, and VMware® vSphere™ 4 virtualization software can alleviate these concerns and help organizations realize further efficiency and cost savings while reducing the complexity of their network infrastructure. These hardware and software technologies are designed to work together to ensure that security and performance requirements can be met without the large numbers of physical server connections required in legacy GbE networks. As a result, administrators can replace methods that depend on physical separation with updated approaches that use logical separation—and ultimately obtain maximum value from their virtualized server environment.
As 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) technology enters the mainstream, IT organizations are considering how they can use it to help simplify their virtualized environments. Consolidating multiple GbE traffic flows onto a reduced number of 10GbE connections helps reduce complexity and cost. However, many IT administrators have expressed concerns that quality of service (QoS), security, or performance may suffer as a result of this traffic convergence. These concerns have prevented some organizations from taking full advantage of 10GbE technology.
Cumulative experience among Dell, Intel, and VMware together with advances in Dell™ PowerEdge™ servers, Intel® 10GbE server adapters, and VMware® vSphere™ 4 virtualization software can alleviate these concerns and help organizations realize further efficiency and cost savings while reducing the complexity of their network infrastructure. These hardware and software technologies are designed to work together to ensure that security and performance requirements can be met without the large numbers of physical server connections required in legacy GbE networks. As a result, administrators can replace methods that depend on physical separation with updated approaches that use logical separation—and ultimately obtain maximum value from their virtualized server environment.