EMC, CNT solution is first to leverage Fibre Channel over IP

Building on an existing relationship, EMC Corporation and CNT today announced the world`s first implementation of true data mirroring that combines the ubiquity of the Internet Protocol (IP) and the scalable performance of the widely deployed Fibre Channel storage networking transport, to deliver new levels of data consolidation, content distribution and core-to-edge collaboration.

The new solution, EMC Fibre Channel Symmetrix Remote Data Facility for Internet Protocol (SRDF-FC-IP), employs EMC`s market-leading SRDF data replication software and CNT`s UltraNet storage networking solutions.

SRDF-FC-IP enables the secure, automatic, wide area mirroring of files, databases and applications between multiple EMC Symmetrix enterprise storage systems over private IP networks. It leverages customers` widely deployed, yet frequently underutilised private IP-based networks, and Fibre Channel, the standard in networked storage connectivity. FC-SRDF-IP builds on an existing EMC/CNT solution for mainframe-based ESCON environments.

"EMC and CNT are accelerating our joint efforts to deliver innovative, cost-effective data mobility solutions," said Chuck Hollis, EMC`s Director of Product Marketing. "We are working to provide customers with new ways to build information systems geared to worldwide use. Data centres on the other side of the country - or the planet for that matter - will perform as if they were in the cubicle next door. SRDF-FC-IP helps customers accelerate, simplify and optimise business-critical information processes in innovative, cost-effective ways."

SRDF-FC-IP enables customers to move huge data volumes between EMC Symmetrix Enterprise Storage systems and a CNT UltraNet device, which converts the data transport format for movement over the IP network. The new solution is ideally suited for applications requiring localised processing, speedy information access and remote data replication.

For example, when customers need to deploy mirrored Web sites, refresh data warehouses or migrate entire suites of applications and databases, SRDF-FC-IP creates copies of the data and, using innovative networking technology from CNT, securely and efficiently transmits the copies over the high-bandwidth IP network to the remote Symmetrix system. There, the data can be leveraged to generate additional revenue based on local business opportunities, as well as protect vital enterprise applications from planned and unplanned outages.

"EMC recognises that the amount of storage capacity required in today`s global enterprises is immense, and the demand for efficient storage solutions continues to grow," said Bill Collette, chief technology officer and vice president of engineering, CNT. "Combining our Fibre Channel over IP networking solutions with EMC`s SRDF data mirroring solution enables companies to leverage Fibre Channel and IP network investments to extend their storage networks cost-effectively while improving data security and network management over wide areas."

Enhanced information value

The standards-based Fibre Channel network protocol delivers the reliability, responsiveness, scalability, high-throughput and low-latency needed to meet the broad range of market and technology requirements. CNT`s UltraNet family of storage networking products supports SRDF over IP using a variety of high-speed network architectures, now including Fibre Channel over IP networks. With UltraNet`s intelligence and efficiency, SRDF-FC-IP provides high performance disk mirroring, and enables users to increase network length without sacrificing speed, flexibility or performance.

The EMC/CNT Fibre Channel SRDF over IP solution offers the benefits of CNT`s IP Storage Architecture. CNT`s IP Storage Architecture is scalable across multiple, virtual links, utilises FC and IP payload matching, and features CNT`s unique, patent-pending Data Integrity Check, a network level "fabric-to-network-to-fabric" data check that ensures complete data integrity.