Brocade 16Gb FC Connectivity for Two EMC Products

Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. announced that its Gen 5 FC SAN solutions provide a foundation to support and enhance new enterprise and all-flash storage systems announced by EMC Corporation.

FC SANs are a key unifying element for the new EMC VMAX³, and XtremIO systems that allow businesses to redefine what is possible in the data center. As a foundation for these new solutions, Brocade Gen 5 FC SAN directors and switches, sold by EMC under the Connectrix brand, are purpose-built to support virtualized cloud infrastructures and are optimized for all-flash array storage systems that enable applications to perform tasks faster than with traditional disk-based arrays.

Flash storage is another common element across the new XtremIO and VMAX³ systems. To support this innovation, Gen 5 FC switches are built to maximize system performance, scalability, manageability and availability in all-flash storage. For all flash storage, FC offers high bandwidth capability, fast application response time and superior reliability-all which are critical requirements to deliver benefits for applications and users.

“EMC Connectrix networks form the bedrock for private- and hybrid-cloud infrastructures that allow our market leading hybrid and all-flash-enabled storage to deliver the most powerful, trusted and agile solutions to meet customers’ current and future business demands. As part of a shared storage solution, the new features and capabilities built into our flash-enabled VMAX³ and XtremIO all-flash arrays deliver breakthrough application and workload acceleration, consolidation, and agility benefits across the data center and are optimized for the power of these next-generation hybrid and all-flash array storage systems that enable applications to perform tasks faster,” said Barry Ader, VP, EMC.

“Today, as EMC redefines the possible for data center storage, the network is even more critical to help ensure application availability and performance,” said Jack Rondoni, VP, data center storage and solutions, Brocade. “In addition, new integration for XtremIO all-flash storage with the EMC ViPR software-defined storage platform extends our joint efforts to enable policy-based automation for managing and provisioning both EMC and non-EMC storage infrastructure within medium to large enterprise SANs.“

Connectrix FC SANs deliver performance to support VMAX³ systems, which now feature 2X the 16 Gbps full line-rate ports to double throughput compared to previous-generation VMAX systems. Brocade Fabric Vision technology, integral to Connectrix solutions, complements and enhances the advanced VMAX³ management tools by providing visibility and insight across the storage network to maximize uptime and simplify SAN management. Together, the VMAX³ management tools and Fabric Vision technology allow SAN administrators to realize considerable time savings, along with a holistic view of their storage environment.

The VMAX³ delivers service levels, scalability and flash-optimized performance at scale with support for full line-rate 16Gb FC throughput. Additionally, the VMAX3 provides simplified management, always-on availability and cloud agility.

To support requirements for redefining the data center and hybrid cloud environments, Brocade Fabric Vision technology with Brocade Network Advisor includes key SAN health and analytics integration to VMware vCloud Suite and VMWare Log Insight. This approach extends the diagnostic, monitoring, and management capabilities, that Fabric Vision technology provides to the VMware cloud administrator.

Brocade Fabric Vision technology maximizes uptime, simplifies SAN management, and provides visibility and insight across the storage network. Offering diagnostic, monitoring, and management capabilities, Fabric Vision technology helps administrators deploy 15 years of SAN management experience in one click, reducing common network problems and maintenance costs.

The EMC FC SAN solutions for high-end and all-flash storage are available from EMC and its network of channel partners.