topic Re: Ethernet interconnect modules options in BladeSystem - General

Ethernet interconnect modules options

Yaboto — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:50:18 GMT

Hi,

Can someone please give me the advantages and the desadvantages of the following:

Cisco 3020 Blade Switch module

HP 16 port 1GB Passthru module

Why should I prefer using one instead of the other ?

Best Regards,

Re: Ethernet interconnect modules options

Yaboto — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:10:12 GMT

I know that Cisco 3020 Blade Switch module is far better than the HP 16 port 1GB Passthru module in term of security and features. But for reason of convenience I have chosen to use the HP 16 port 1GB Passthru module. Please tell me if there would be some limitations in using the HP 16 port 1GB Passthru module.

Best Regards,

Re: Ethernet interconnect modules options

Matti_Kurkela — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:20:31 GMT

Cisco 3020 Blade Switch module

+ You can connect the entire enclosure to the network using just a few cables if your bandwidth requirements are modest, greatly simplifying cabling.

+ You can bring multiple trunked VLANs into the blade switch with one cable and assign them (either trunked or non-trunked) to individual blade NICs as necessary.

- The blade switch has only 8 external gigabit ports, somewhat limiting your network bandwidth out of the enclosure.

+ The blade switch can connect to existing 100M or even 10M network, if necessary.

- Your network admins must accept the fact that a switch is accessible to the enclosure administrator. An enclosure firmware update may require switch firmware update too, tying the maintenance schedules together. There may be security implications or a need to re-think some policy decisions.

---------------

HP 16 port 1GB Passthru module

- One cable for each NIC of each blade = a whole lot of cables behind the enclosure. Be sure you arrange and tie down your cables carefully so that they won't turn into an unmanageable nest of worms, and won't obstruct the cooling airflow.

- If you use trunked VLANs, you must configure the trunking within the OS of each blade separately.

+ You can get the absolute maximum total bandwidth out of the enclosure, because each NIC has its own independent cable connection (16x 1000M full-duplex).

- The passthru module is not 1000/100/10, but gigabit-ONLY. If you need to connect the enclosure to an older 100M network, you need an external gigabit-capable switch to act as a speed adapter.

+ In terms of security or administration policy, nothing new. If you have strict (security or other) requirements about keeping the system admin and network admin roles separate, this does it.

MK

Re: Ethernet interconnect modules options

rick jones — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:28:24 GMT

Any particular reason you are limiting yourself to those two choices when there are additional choices for Ethernet interconnect modules - including, but perhaps not limited to:

*) 1/10 VC Ethernet Module
*) ProCurve 6020
*) Flex-10 VC 10 Gbit Ethernet
*) GbE2c (assuming it is still on the price list)

Re: Ethernet interconnect modules options

Yaboto — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:01:39 GMT

What do the followings have more than the ones I was talking about:

1/10 VC Ethernet Module
Flex-10 VC 10 Gbit Ethernet
GbE2c
?

Best Regards,

Re: Ethernet interconnect modules options

rick jones — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:26:09 GMT

The 1/10 VC module adds HP Virtual Connect functionality and the option for 10 Gbit/s Ethernet uplink. The Flex-10 VC Ethernet module offers 10Gbit up and downlink as well as Virtual Connect. It also enables the "flex NIC" support in the NC532i LAN On Motherboard (LOM) in many/most of the newer (eg G6) blades.

The GbE2c is a basic Layer2 Gigabit swith with the ability to do Layer3 stuff as well

The ProCurve 6120 is a 10 Gbit/s capable switch, without the Virtual Connect or Flex10 bits.