topic Re: Virtual Connect Flex-10 Uplinks in BladeSystem - General

Virtual Connect Flex-10 Uplinks

Tina E. Verras — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:56:42 GMT

Looks like we're buying a 3000 chassis with a virtual connect flex-10 device. I noticed all but one of the uplinks are via SFP+ ports.

The quandry is how to (and hopefully least expensively) connect to our datacenter switch with at least four of these uplinks at 10gb.

The distance should be no more than three feet. The new datacenter switch will likely be one of the hp modular chassis, but this is flexible.

Re: Virtual Connect Flex-10 Uplinks

Patrick Terlisten — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:12:03 GMT

Hello Tina,

what you need is a switch with a CX4 or SFP+ Port. CX4 is copper-based, SFP+ can be copper-based. There are optional SFP+ Copper cables in 0.5m, 1m, 3m, and 7m for the module. There are various modules for modular ProCurves chassis with CX4 or SFP+ ports. I think CX4 will be the least expensive technology for you datacenter-uplink.

Best regards,
Patrick

Re: Virtual Connect Flex-10 Uplinks

Lmm_1 — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:19:02 GMT

Flex10 10 GB options will be:

HP BladeSystem 10Gb SR SFP+ 455883-B21
HP BladeSystem 10Gb LR SFP+ 455886-B21
HP BladeSystem 10Gb LRM SFP+ 455889-B21

Due distance needs and price, IÂ´d say the SR SFP will be the best option. You only need to make sure you use SR on the upstream switch.

Re: Virtual Connect Flex-10 Uplinks

Patrick Terlisten — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:36:57 GMT

Hello,

"The distance should be no more than three feet."

I think CX4 will be the cheaper solution. :) But if the C3000 will move one day, and you need more then 80 feet, SR is the better solution.

Best regards,
Patrick

Re: Virtual Connect Flex-10 Uplinks

Lmm_1 — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:41:37 GMT

Thats true, but they need at least 4 uplinks, so CX4 is not an option

Re: Virtual Connect Flex-10 Uplinks

Tina E. Verras — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:13:43 GMT

Thank you both for your replies.

Would that it had come with four cx4 connections...

I looked at the SFP+ transceiver option, but I'd need one of those, a cable, probably a X2 module for the switch (two to get full bandwidth since they are oversubscribed by about 2:1) and yet another transceiver to go all of three feet. :(

Has anyone tried SFP+ direct attach, (487655-B21)? Then, the problem becomes finding a SFP+ module for our switch... which, as luck has it, 10GB modules that seem to be available are CX4 and X2...