Traditionally, there were only two ways to connect server blades to outside networks and storage – pass-thru modules or switches. The pass-thru approach is simple, but leaves you with countless cables, reliability concerns and the risk of human error. Blade switches reduce the number of cables needed, but lead to more switches and management.
HP Virtual Connect technology changes all of this! Virtual Connect is the simplest, most flexible way to connect to your network. It is the next step to virtualisation – helping IT fully realise the benefits of a Converged Infrastructure. It extends the benefit of virtualisation beyond the server to the rest of your IT infrastructure.
Key features and benefits
Ease of operations and deployment
- Server blades are change-ready—you can add, move, replace, or upgrade server blades, and move workloads without affecting your LAN and SAN.
- Wire-once, then add, move, and change network connections in minutes vs. days; managing connections to thousands of servers from one pane of glass.
- 100 per cent compatibility with existing data and storage networks, protocols, switches, and procedures.
- One module for all data and storage connection needs.
- HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric Modules are compatible with all other standards‑based switch products. They provide high‑performance and end‑to-end optical or copper connections with HP Networking or other brands of core switches.
- HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric Modules appear as pass-thru device to the network. Any changes to the server are transparent to its associated network. This clearly separates the server blades from your LAN and relieves LAN administrators from server maintenance.
- FlexFabric adapters support hypervisor best practice configurations with six FlexNIC and two FlexHBA standard connections on each blade.
Enterprise-class performance and availability
- Get up to 95 per cent* fewer network cards, switches and cables to buy, install, qualify, and maintain. Additionally, achieve significant reduction in power and cooling costs as well as in equipment cost with VC Converged Networking.
- Extend the life of your network by only using the capacity you need.
- Enable increased uptime with high-availability features, such as NIC teaming, trunk failover, and dual redundant Virtual Connect FlexFabric Modules.
- Direct uplink connections to LAN and SAN maintain your current IT practices, unlike other solutions that reroute SAN traffic to the LAN.
Security and management
- The embedded Virtual Connect Manager (VCM) Web-based console runs on each Virtual Connect FlexFabric and Ethernet Module. You can define available LANs, SANs, server connections, and manage server connection profiles for individual BladeSystem enclosures.
- In keeping with its use of industry-standard protocols, HP is expanding the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) capabilities of HP Virtual Connect. Specifically, the latest VC firmware now supports both SNMPv1 and SNMPv2 traps; traps for key, pre-defined threshold conditions; and per-destination configuration of traps.
- Additional role-based privileges for user accounts can be created by domain, server blade, networking, and storage.
- Multi-enclosure stacking enables all of the VC modules (up to four connected enclosures) to function as a single VC domain.
The World’s simplest and most flexible way to connect to any network 95% less network sprawl at the server edge, 65% lower costs, and 40% less power and cooling required.
Notes:
95% Substantiation - To support a Vmware recommended configuration of 6 NICs and 2 Fibre Channel connections, for 16 servers, a traditional server blade configuration would require a dual port LAN on Motherboard (LOM) NIC, an extra quad port NIC mezzanine, and a dual port Fibre Channel host bus adapter (HBA) along with 8 switches (6 Ethernet and 2 Fibre Channel). The total traditional configuration components add up to 40 vs. the VC FlexFabric solution. The VC FlexFabric solution requires only embedded dual port FlexFabric adapters on servers (no extra mezzanine cards) and two VC FlexFabric modules for redundant connectivity. This simple calculation will help you understand it better, (40-2)/40=95%.
65% Substantiation – Based on the difference (ILP as of May 2010) of traditional interconnect and adapter cost compared to Virtual Connect FlexFabric solution. Compare cost of 6 Ethernet switches, 16 quad-port NIC mezz cards, 2 8 Gb Fibre Channel switches and 16 FC HBAs to only 2 HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric modules connected to 16 embedded FlexFabric adapters.
40% Substantiation - Based on the difference of traditional interconnect and adapter power costs compared to Virtual Connect FlexFabric solution. Compare cost of power for 6 Ethernet switches, 16 Dual-port NIC mezz cards, 16 quad-port NICs, 2 8Gb Fibre Channel switches and 16 FC HBAs to 2 HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric modules connected to 16 embedded FlexFabric adapters.
Click on the links below to learn more about the Virtual Connect Family
HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric 10Gb/24 Port Module – 571956-B21
HP Virtual Connect Flex-10 10Gb Ethernet Module – 455880-B21
HP Virtual Connect Flex-10 10Gb Ethernet Module(Dual Module with VCEM) –591973-B21
HP Virtual Connect 1/10 Gb-F Ethernet Module – 447047-B21
HP Virtual Connect 8Gb 20-Port Fibre Channel Module – 572018-b21
HP Virtual Connect 8Gb 24-Port Fibre Channel Module – 466482-B21
* Based on HP analysis of networking equipment (adapters and enclosure interconnects) A traditional server blade configuration would typically require a dual port LAN on Motherboard (LOM), an extra quad port NIC mezzanine, and a dual port host bus adapter (HBA) along with switch modules (6 Ethernet and 2 Fibre Channel). The total traditional configuration components come up to 40 vs. the VC FlexFabric module solution. The VC FlexFabric module solution requires only embedded dual port FlexFabric adapters on servers (no mezzanine cards) and two VC FlexFabric modules. This simple calculation will help you understand it better, (40-2)/40=95%.
