QLogic 5800V_5802V - Manual (Page 3)

50902-00 Rev. h 01/13 3
Data Sheet
Next-Generation Stacking: A Good Idea Gets Better!
QLogic 5800V lets you connect 8Gb, 4Gb, or 2Gb devices to a SaN for
about the same cost as competing 4Gb-only solutions, but the investment
protection advantages go much deeper! Unlike other solutions, the 5800V
can phase bandwidth provisioning incrementally within your ISL fabric—
the most performance-critical area of the SaN.
1. Start with “always On” 10Gb ISLs
each QLogic 5800V ships with all four 10Gb stacking ports active by
default. Basic inter-switch connectivity is now included with the product.
Customers no longer need to take ISL port costs into account when planning
their SaNs—every port they purchase may now be connected directly to a
server or storage device! (See sidebar for more on stacking.)
at their default 10Gb setting, the four stacking ports provide over 50Gb of
additional bandwidth per switch—the equivalent of six extra 8Gb ports!
10Gb ISL speed provides more than enough bandwidth for customers in
the early stages of their 8Gb migration, when many switch ports are still
attached to 4Gb storage and other legacy devices.
2. 20Gb Bandwidth On Demand
When a majority of QLogic device ports are eventually connected to 8Gb
devices, additional inter-switch bandwidth may be desired. at that point,
customers can nondisruptively upgrade the ISL ports on one or more
switches to 20Gb. at 20Gb, this is the only ISL technology that perfectly
complements 8Gb device speeds and extends the stability, cost savings,
and performance benefits of a true backbone architecture to next-
generation SaNs.
It managers now have all the network headroom they need to deploy new
applications and technologies with confidence. Best of all, because 20Gb
uses the same cables/connectors as 10Gb, customers can upgrade their
entire SaN at the click of a mouse—without touching a cable or purchasing
any new hardware. Only QLogic offers such a cost-deferred “pay-as-you-
grow” plan for the 8Gb transition.
What Is Stacking?
Stackable switches, long familiar to ethernet users, were
introduced for Fibre Channel by QLogic in 2003. Stacking cuts
complexity and costs by providing a stable, highly-expandable
transport for aggregate ISL traffic—eliminating the disruption, port
waste, and management hassles associated with using device
ports as ISLs.
True Backbone Value
In a stackable architecture, each switch features dedicated ports
for ISL; that is, for connecting to other switches. these ports offer
much greater bandwidth than the regular data/device ports, and
therefore require far fewer connections to achieve specific
bandwidth goals.
Need more server or storage ports? Simply add another switch to the
stack—no need to move existing cables or disrupt devices.
Affordable Now—Big Savings Later
• Low initial cost—Out-of-the-box, dual-speed QLogic 5000
products provide superior performance at a price-per-port that
is competitive with single-speed, nonstacking edge switches.
• Reduced expansion costs—Compared to nonstackable
switches, multiswitch QLogic networks require up to 50
percent fewer switches to achieve the same device port counts.
Because each stacking port matches the throughput of three
device ports, QLogic ISL connections are far less expensive
per unit of bandwidth. For instance, a single 20Gb connection
(25.5Gbps line rate, 51Gbps full-duplex) saves six 8Gb device
ports for devices and eliminates the need for six expensive 8Gb
SFPs. Stacking has never made more sense from a budget
versus performance perspective!
• Longer product and topology lifespan—Other vendors force
customers to take a nonlinear “rip and replace” approach to
SaN growth, offering a limited solution at the low end, followed
by a radically different architecture as the installation matures.
QLogic’s modular ISL backbone helps customers pace
investments and deployment activities predictably over time,
with fewer wrong turns and reversals—even when corporate
strategies and directions change.
8Gb Device Ports
(Connect to Servers/Storage)
10Gb/20Gb
Stacking Ports
High-
Speed ISL
Backbone
Easy SAN Expansion - No Device Disruption