Comments on: FCoE Isn’t a Replacement for Infiniband, It’s a Cheaper Copy That Customers Will Buy http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/ Network design, architecture, thinking, working. Tech. Wed, 23 May 2012 00:26:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Adam http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1595 Adam Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:40:44 +0000 http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1595 As I know Infiniband, is topically not data transfer protocol, it sends data over IP with MTU size 1492-2048 bytes. This is Cisco division... Brocade were invited new protocol FCoE to data transfer, Fibre Channel over Ethernet. So FCoE is firs implemented with battle between Brocade and Cisco, first implementation and ASICs are steel bad. And I publishing new invents on my site at http://fcoe/ru. Welcome! In additional, FC market is Brocades :-) As I know Infiniband, is topically not data transfer protocol, it sends data over IP with MTU size 1492-2048 bytes. This is Cisco division…
Brocade were invited new protocol FCoE to data transfer, Fibre Channel over Ethernet.
So FCoE is firs implemented with battle between Brocade and Cisco, first implementation and ASICs are steel bad.
And I publishing new invents on my site at http://fcoe/ru. Welcome!
In additional, FC market is Brocades :-)

]]> By: Kevin http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1594 Kevin Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:21:17 +0000 http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1594 ICMP may not have the resolution, but we get less than 1ms across any portion of our DC's using IxChariot, which is considerably less than 20ms. I agree that Ethernet isn't as speedy as Infiniband, but you are overstating the difference by over 2000%. ICMP may not have the resolution, but we get less than 1ms across any portion of our DC’s using IxChariot, which is considerably less than 20ms. I agree that Ethernet isn’t as speedy as Infiniband, but you are overstating the difference by over 2000%.

]]> By: Greg Ferro http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1593 Greg Ferro Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:37:38 +0000 http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1593 I hope so. I hope so.

]]> By: Brian http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1592 Brian Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:52:49 +0000 http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1592 Check Oracle web site - they are using InfiniBand. I dont think you need to convince any more, IB is going to places where it was only Ethernet till now Check Oracle web site – they are using InfiniBand. I dont think you need to convince any more, IB is going to places where it was only Ethernet till now

]]> By: Greg Ferro http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1591 Greg Ferro Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:17:37 +0000 http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1591 Using ICMP isn't reliable at that resolution so you would support that statement with methods. Also, Infiniband has latency of less than 200 nanoseconds on a single switch, I increased it for a typical configuration with a few adapters and switches. Ethernet cannot come close to that. BTW, lots of good information on your companies website. Must remember to keep checking for new information. Using ICMP isn’t reliable at that resolution so you would support that statement with methods.

Also, Infiniband has latency of less than 200 nanoseconds on a single switch, I increased it for a typical configuration with a few adapters and switches. Ethernet cannot come close to that.

BTW, lots of good information on your companies website. Must remember to keep checking for new information.

]]> By: Greg Ferro http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1590 Greg Ferro Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:16:09 +0000 http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1590 Yes. But convincing Server and Storage people to use new technology is almost impossible. They are so retarded on legacy concepts that it's a wonder they get anything done. Yes. But convincing Server and Storage people to use new technology is almost impossible. They are so retarded on legacy concepts that it’s a wonder they get anything done.

]]> By: Brian http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1589 Brian Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:34:57 +0000 http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1589 Fact: 40Gb/s InfiniBand costs less than 10GigE today. Both continue to go down in price as competition heats up. Here is an example... http://www.colfaxdirect.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=122&idcategory= Fact: 40Gb/s InfiniBand costs less than 10GigE today. Both continue to go down in price as competition heats up.

Here is an example…
http://www.colfaxdirect.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=122&idcategory=

]]> By: Brice Goglin http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1588 Brice Goglin Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:20:25 +0000 http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1588 "Low latency net≠work≠ing with delays around 20 micro≠seconds (end-??to-??end) is one thou≠sand times less than 20 mil≠li≠seconds for a data centre eth≠er≠net network." I don't know what you did with your Ethernet to get 20 milliseconds, but mine is about 50 microseconds and even 5-10 if I tune it properly. “Low latency net≠work≠ing with delays around 20 micro≠seconds (end-??to-??end) is one thou≠sand times less than 20 mil≠li≠seconds for a data centre eth≠er≠net network.”

I don’t know what you did with your Ethernet to get 20 milliseconds, but mine is about 50 microseconds and even 5-10 if I tune it properly.

]]> By: Nigel Poulton http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1587 Nigel Poulton Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:47:09 +0000 http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1587 Hi Greg, Interesting article. I see you are softening to the fact that FCoE actually does bring something to the modern data centre. Not perfect by a long shot, but certainly brings some value. As for being a rehash of old technologies and ideas..... I'm a firm believer that there are no new ideas, just old ideas reborn on faster and cheaper hardware. Cycles. On a similar point, I would venture that all technologies are interim and will eventually be superseded. Dare I say even IP will one day be superseded. But not by FCP ;-) Nigel Hi Greg,

Interesting article. I see you are softening to the fact that FCoE actually does bring something to the modern data centre. Not perfect by a long shot, but certainly brings some value.

As for being a rehash of old technologies and ideas….. I’m a firm believer that there are no new ideas, just old ideas reborn on faster and cheaper hardware. Cycles.

On a similar point, I would venture that all technologies are interim and will eventually be superseded. Dare I say even IP will one day be superseded. But not by FCP ;-)

Nigel

]]> By: Greg Ferro http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1586 Greg Ferro Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:50:52 +0000 http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1586 What's also interesting is that the successor to 10GB ethernet isn't moving very fast. The IEEE is still arguing over whether to have 40Gb/s or 100Gb/s Ethernet (which looks nothing like Ethernet at all - but that's another matter) as part of their standards process. Although early stage testing has been done on both the IEEE is still nowhere on standards. Compare this with Infiniband at 40GB/s today, and 120GB/s around the corner with real, validated, in use products. Sure, today's servers can't push 10Gb/s off the bus, but pretty soon they will be and then some of the benefits of converegence will have been lost. What’s also interesting is that the successor to 10GB ethernet isn’t moving very fast. The IEEE is still arguing over whether to have 40Gb/s or 100Gb/s Ethernet (which looks nothing like Ethernet at all – but that’s another matter) as part of their standards process. Although early stage testing has been done on both the IEEE is still nowhere on standards.

Compare this with Infiniband at 40GB/s today, and 120GB/s around the corner with real, validated, in use products.

Sure, today’s servers can’t push 10Gb/s off the bus, but pretty soon they will be and then some of the benefits of converegence will have been lost.

]]> By: Interesting Perspective http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1585 Interesting Perspective Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:16:28 +0000 http://etherealmind.com/fcoe-doesnt-replace-infiniband-copy-cheaper/#comment-1585 I think the most interesting thing in your article is the correlation between the two. Great way to bridge the gap. Reality is that FCOE is a great savings to companies. 10gig is getting cheaper but real estate in the DC isn't. If I can reduce the amount of switches i own but combining the FC and Ethernet, great: less power, less cooling, less floor space=less $$$$$$. For myself as an owner of several data centers, I want to get more computing power into every square inch of space, by merging the SAN and LAN into one switch, I can do that. And for that I say 'Thanks Cisco, now get me native FC in a Nexus 7k damn it." I think the most interesting thing in your article is the correlation between the two. Great way to bridge the gap.

Reality is that FCOE is a great savings to companies. 10gig is getting cheaper but real estate in the DC isn’t. If I can reduce the amount of switches i own but combining the FC and Ethernet, great: less power, less cooling, less floor space=less $$$$$$.

For myself as an owner of several data centers, I want to get more computing power into every square inch of space, by merging the SAN and LAN into one switch, I can do that. And for that I say ‘Thanks Cisco, now get me native FC in a Nexus 7k damn it.”

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