Xsigo Systems yesterday announced a significant advancement in virtual I/O technology, simplifying and accelerating data center convergence – a key enabler of private cloud computing.
The company today released an Ethernet-based version of its award-winning Xsigo I/O Director, the industry’s first virtual I/O technology to leverage the standard Ethernet ports found on every x86 server.
The new technology helps customers drive enterprise efficiency – both OPEX and CAPEX – by connecting servers to every data center resource via a single conventional Ethernet server port. Unlike alternative approaches such as FCoE that require costly add-on cards, Xsigo’s new approach can deliver a complete end-to-end converged connectivity solution for less than $500 per server, or about 1/3 the cost of a converged network adapter (CNA) card alone.
Previously, infrastructure convergence meant purchasing add-on cards like FCoE adapters and PCIe link extenders that are disruptive to install, increase power consumption, and strain IT teams with laborious support tasks. Compared with these alternatives, Xsigo virtual I/O can save up to 80% on capital cost and avoid days or weeks of server downtime.
By connecting to servers via standard Ethernet ports, the new Xsigo I/O Director allows customers to:
- Leverage the power of converged infrastructures with fast, simple and cost-effective deployment: Dynamically connect servers to as many as 64 isolated Ethernet and Fibre Channel networks with a single Ethernet cable to consolidate server connectivity and make private cloud architectures a reality.
- Install on existing equipment without disruption: Companies can utilize the standard 1 gigabit and 10 gigabit Ethernet ports found in all x86 servers today – no special server hardware is required.
- Spend less on new purchases: IT managers can save up to $5,600 per server by eliminating the converged network adapters required by other products.
- Respond quickly to change: IT administrators can modify server connections in seconds via software rather than physically changing conventional adapters and cables, which can take hours or even days.
The new product installs in just minutes by connecting a server’s Ethernet port to the Xsigo I/O Director. Customers then install drivers to their server. Server I/O consolidation and management can begin immediately.
The Ethernet-based Xsigo I/O Director employs the same hardware and software platform as Xsigo’s proven InfiniBand-based I/O Director, which is deployed in more than 100 enterprise data centers worldwide and is demonstrated compatible with software and hardware from VMware, Microsoft, Citrix, Dell, HP, IBM, Hitachi, Oracle, EMC, NetApp, Cisco, Brocade and many others.
Available in September, the Ethernet-based Xsigo VP780 and VP560 I/O Directors are priced starting at $35,000.