PowerConnect B-8000 Network Switch

Top-of-rack link layer (Layer 2) CEE/DCB and FCoE switch with 24, 10 Gbps ports for LAN connections and 8 Gbps Fibre Channel ports for SAN connections

A Versatile Layer 2 CEE/DCB and FCoE Switch

Supporting Windows and Linux environments, the PowerConnect™ B-8000 Switch enables access to the LANs and SANs over a common server connection by utilizing emerging Data Center Bridging/Converged Enhanced Ethernet (CEE/DCB) and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) protocols. LAN traffic is forwarded to aggregation layer Ethernet switches using conventional 10 Gbps connections, and storage traffic is forwarded to Fibre Channel SANs over 8 Gbps Fibre Channel connections. Part of a unified CEE/DCB and FCoE solution, the PowerConnect™ B-8000 helps organizations reduce capital and operating expenses in enterprise data centers.

A Unified CEE/DCB and FCOE Solution

The PowerConnect B-8000 connects to servers utilizing Converged Network Adapters (CNAs). Consolidating server I/O (input/output) reduces the number of server adapters, which in turn reduces cabling and switch ports, resulting in lower infrastructure costs as well as lower power and cooling costs.

Moreover, consolidation is not limited to hardware components. Because FCoE preserves Fibre Channel constructs and services, it integrates seamlessly into existing Fibre Channel environments, enabling organizations to introduce CEE/DCB and FCoE into their data centers without disrupting their existing SANs or IT management practices.

High Performance

The PowerConnect B-8000 has advanced ASIC technology that provides unique frame-based trunking of server connections at up to 40GB of combined throughput. The switch also features standards-based Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) for LAN connections, as well as frame-based trunking of SAN connections at up to 64 Gbps of throughput.

Comprehensive Layer 2 LAN Capabilities

The PowerConnect B-8000 switch provides broad, standards-based data link layer (Layer 2) capabilities covering Quality of Service (QoS), security and Layer 2 protocols. The switch’s 24 CEE/DCB ports provide uplink connections to conventional 10 Gbps port aggregation layer Ethernet switches. Layer 2 functions are configured and administered accordingly at the access layer.

Enterprise-Class High Availability

The PowerConnect B-8000 provides a reliable foundation for disaster recovery and business continuance by employing enterprise-class availability features such as hot-swappable, redundant, and integrated fan and power supply assemblies. Combined with a wide range of diagnostic and monitoring functions, these capabilities help ensure highly available SAN environments.

In conjunction with Brocade® SAN extension products, the PowerConnect B-8000 enables servers and storage devices to reside remotely, giving organizations a reliable way to create highly available environments that support the most sophisticated business continuance and disaster recovery initiatives.