Cisco Partners with NetApp on FCoE

As part of an ongoing collaboration, Cisco and NetApp are releasing a certified end-to-end Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) solution for VMware virtual environments. The solution, which the vendors are touting as the industry's first, is designed to reduce drivers and cables and drive data center consolidation, virtualization and automation.

The new solution combines Cisco Nexus 5000 series switches with NetApp FAS series unified storage support FCoE protocol. Built on lossless 10GB Ethernet, it includes both FCoE initiators (such as Converged Network Adaptors) and FCoE storage targets.

Cisco and NetApp say FcoE offers several operational advantages to virtual data center users, including providing savings through the use of a unified data center fabric, rather than disparate infrastructure devices. In addition, the vendors say efficiency benefits are realized through the reduction of space, cooling and power requirements.

The solution has completed the VMware Hardware Certification Program testing criteria for use with VMware software and is now listed on the VMware Hardware Compatibility Guide, with support offered by all three companies.