Intel has introduced Open FCOE, a free software stack for Fibre Channel Over Ethernet, to simplify the migration to a single network infrastructure throughout data centers.
The company said Open FCOE was introduced after being qualified for Microsoft Windows, Red Hat and SUSE Linux, and EMC and NetApp storage platforms. It has also been qualified for use with Cisco Systems and Brocade Communications switches.
The company said the software stack is being offered as a free upgrade to the Intel 10 Gigabit Ethernet Server Adapter X520 family.
FCOE, an advanced form of Ethernet, is designed to bring the reliability of traditional Fibre Channel to the nearly ubiquitous infrastructure of Ethernet, claims the company.
Fibre Channel remains the connection to many enterprise storage platforms even as Ethernet forms the foundation of both LANs and other storage technologies, such as NAS (network-attached storage) and iSCSI (Internet SCSI).
Cisco’s Server Access Virtualization Business Unit vice president of marketing Soni Jiandani, said Open FCOE will be available to all its 10-Gigabit Ethernet customers.
Jiandani said, "Customers will no longer have to differentiate between, ‘Can I mount storage on my servers that supports NAS, ISCSI, or Fibre Channel?’ It brings forth the notion of, ‘Wire once, and mount any type of storage on your computing infrastructure.’"
