Dell EqualLogic PS6010XVS

Storage Networking Equipment

Bronze Award:

Brocade Communications Systems Inc. FC8-64 Blade for the Brocade DCX Backbone Family

The Brocade FC8-64 Blade for the Brocade DCX Backbone family switching platform snares a bronze award for its striking 64-ports-per-slot port density that allows enterprises to aggregate existing fabric infrastructure into an 8 Gbps Fibre Channel (FC) high-density core. The FC8-64 Blade and DCX Backbone combination delivers high-performance FC switching at less than 1 watt per gigabit per second of throughput.

Using FC8-64 Blades, administrators can install up to 512 8 Gbps ports per Brocade DCX Backbone and 256 8 Gbps ports per Brocade DCX-4S Backbone for a total throughput of 4.6 Tbps for the DCX Backbone or 2.3 Tbps for the DCX-4S Backbone. The FC8-64 also uses four Condor 2 ASICs to deliver 64 auto-sensing 2 Gbps, 4 Gbps or 8 Gbps ports.

To incorporate an additional 16 ports into its existing 48-port blades, Brocade developed new mini small form-factor pluggables (mSFPs) to reduce the width and gaps between optics. The firm also changed its blade design to incorporate the four FC-switching ASICs.

The judges rated the Brocade FC8-64 Blade high for its performance characteristics and ease of integration with the Brocade DCX Backbone. One judge noted the FC8-64's "great port density," while another said it's a "very high-performing Fibre Channel switch." Still another acknowledged its "low power consumption per port that's best in class by far."

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