EMC has ushered in a new era of networked information storage by introducing integrated solutions that will quickly and effectively empower customers with 2Gbps Fibre Channel technology.
Through this announcement, EMC is set to deliver a complete 2Gb solution featuring EMC CLARiiON and EMC Symmetrix systems, EMC-qualified interoperable storage hardware and software elements, and EMC migration services. As a result, customers will be able to design both pure and mixed 2Gb connectivity solutions that will reduce costs and improve productivity without disruption to business operations.
"Simply announcing new 2Gb technology doesn`t automatically enable customers to derive value from that technology, which is why EMC goes the extra step to provide complete solutions," says Alex Robertson, country Systems Engineer and Professional Services Manager at EMC SA.
"Customers are looking for vendors to incorporate the latest connectivity innovations into their environment, but at the same time maintain stability, business continuity and investment protection. EMC fully understands these customer needs."
In addition to the new CLARiiON FC4700 2-Gb platform and the Symmetrix Four-Port 2-Gb FC Director, EMC has also qualified configurations of 2Gb-compatible servers, operating systems and Host-Bus Adaptors (HBAs) via the rigorous E-Lab Tested Interoperability Program. EMC is in the process of testing and qualifying partner-based 2Gb switching technology, which the company plans to make available subsequent to availability from its partners.
"As a leading provider of SAN infrastructure, Brocade is pleased to be shipping significant volumes of 2Gbit/sec product to market today," says Jay Kidd, Brocade Vice President of Product Marketing. "By verifying 2Gbps interoperability with our partners, Brocade is helping ensure that this emerging infrastructure is available to enterprise customers. We are currently in the process of completing qualification of Brocade 2Gbps infrastructure with EMC, and we applaud them for their efforts to help move these technologies into the mainstream."
Two-Gigabit Fibre Channel technology drives down customer costs by doubling the amount of available bandwidth in fabric-attached information storage environments. This can allow storage systems to support a greater number of hosts per storage port connection in the same footprint with the same number of switches. In more complex fabric environments with switch-to-switch connections, 2Gb technology enables switch ports to be used more efficiently, providing even more server connections per storage port connection.
James Opfer, a principal analyst with Gartner/Dataquest, says: "The widespread adoption of 2Gb Fibre Channel will in large part be dependent on the ability of major industry players to deliver reliable and interoperable solutions in a timely manner. As the marketplace leaders announce support for 2Gb connectivity, customers will increasingly feel more comfortable in transitioning to this next-generation storage networking technology."
The new enhancements to the CLARiiON and Symmetrix platforms also bear the EMC hallmark of seamless interoperability and backwards compatibility with existing and previous technologies. The enhancements will fully support the information infrastructure elements listed on EMC`s comprehensive EMC Support Matrix. Furthermore, the new advances will interoperate with existing 1Gb customer environments, simultaneously supporting 1Gb and 2Gb data transfers in the same environment.
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