Sorrento Receives Brocade Data Center Ready Status

Sorrento Networks announced that its GigaMux dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) metro optical access system has been verified by Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. as compatible with Brocade-based Storage Area Networking (SAN) infrastructure, according to the testing requirements of the Brocade Data Center Ready Program. The program is an initiative designed to foster interoperability in multi-vendor Brocade-based data center environments.

Testing was conducted at the Brocade Data Center Ready labs, which are state-of-the-art facilities supporting end-to-end interoperability and performance testing of SAN products in multi-vendor and large fabric environments. Sorrento Networks is the latest addition to an extensive list of members that have joined the Brocade Data Center Ready Program since its inception in 2000.

"As enterprises seek to deploy bandwidth-efficient SANs over greater distances, they can be confident that our GigaMux family of products is fully interoperable in Brocade SAN environments," said Jim Nevelle, CEO of Sorrento Networks. "With data centers becoming more remote from major backbones, DWDM products like our GigaMux line are now fundamental to most SANs because they can cost effectively handle Fibre Channel speeds, distances and densities where SONET and other transport technologies fall short."

A protocol-independent design allows the GigaMux product family to extend the traffic of Fibre Channel and Ethernet simultaneously and in their native formats. This flexibility enables users to add or upgrade bandwidth incrementally based on traffic requirements, as well as to achieve high-bandwidth links of more than six miles among their data centers, storage servers and data storage devices. The GigaMux platform can turn one optical fiber into as many as 80 virtual fibers or 40 full duplex channels, and support up to 10 Gbps of traffic per channel.

"We are pleased that Sorrento Networks has successfully completed the Data Center Ready testing with Brocade switches and directors in multi-vendor SAN environments," said Ben Taft, Senior Director of Strategic Alliances at Brocade. "Storage area networks are being deployed worldwide at a rapid rate as a scalable, high-performance networking foundation for storage environments. The Brocade Data Center Ready program is an example of our continued commitment to delivering end-to-end interoperability to customers."

The Brocade Data Center Ready program is a comprehensive testing and configuration initiative designed to foster end-to-end SAN interoperability. As part of the program, testing is conducted in SAN configurations that include a heterogeneous mix of servers, storage systems, Brocade switches, SAN management and enterprise applications, and other SAN technologies. Brocade has created an interoperability lab featuring a heterogeneous SAN fabric, in which the company tests and validates partner equipment in specific configurations. Vendors receive Brocade Data Center Ready qualification after completing tests to confirm that vendors’ products meet interoperability guidelines.