Dell EMC has unveiled new capabilities for their Open Networking portfolio–switches designed offer an innovative disaggregated-hardware/software solution for data center networking. These new features and products were built to help customers transform their IT operations by lowering overall IT costs, attaining returns on investments more quickly, and delivering new digital capabilities.
Dell EMC has unveiled new capabilities for their Open Networking portfolio–switches designed offer an innovative disaggregated-hardware/software solution for data center networking. These new features and products were built to help customers transform their IT operations by lowering overall IT costs, attaining returns on investments more quickly, and delivering new digital capabilities.
S5100-ON and S4100-ON series
The new S5100-ON series is the company’s first 25GbE Open Networking switch. Dell claims performance gains equating to double the throughput of 10GbE switches for in-rack connectivity as well as native 25GbE support. The S5100-ON series switches are designed for 100GbE fabric connectivity, which significantly improves rack-to-rack (east-west) network traffic and ideal for Web 2.0 enterprises as well as cloud service providers that need to make the most of application and service performance.
Also announced is the new S4100-ON series, which is built to offer multifunctional, top-of-rack data center Open Networking switches optimized for high densities of 10GbE fiber/copper or Fibre Channel 8/16/32 server and converged local area networks LAN)/SAN within racks. All switches in this new line are equipped with high-performance 100GbE uplink ports for inter-rack communication.
Among the models in the S4100-ON series is the S4148U, a new unified switch for both Ethernet and Fibre Channel traffic and connecting to Dell EMC’s storage solutions. Dell EMC has designed this Open Networking switch to “pushes the upper limits” of Fibre Channel connectivity and is touted as the first optimized switch to support 32Gb Fibre Channel for those looking to further converge LAN/SAN operations. Dell EMC adds that, due to its “unique design,” customers can also deploy Ethernet top-of-rack and Fibre Channel switching in the same physical switch or further converge LAN/SAN using Fibre Channel-over-Ethernet.
Both S5100-ON and S4100-ON series are the first to ship Dell EMC’s new flagship networking operating system standard, OS10 Enterprise Edition. This new comprehensive version is built on open source technologies from the Linux Foundation and Open Compute Project, making it a modular and programmable network OS for both traditional networking and DevOps environments.
In addition to its layer 2 and layer 3 networking functionality, OS10 Enterprise Edition enables customers to customize the software for different environments. Dell EMC indicates that users can integrate additional open source capabilities, add third-party Linux applications, or develop their own software via standard Linux and DevOps tools.
N1100-ON series
The new Dell EMC N1100-ON series is comprised of energy-efficient and cost-effective switches specifically designed for campus-type environments. Included in this family are a number of fanless switches available in both half- and full-width options, POE/POE+ and non-POE versions, as well as port configurations from 10/100/1000Mbps to 1/10GbE. The N1100-ON series switches are also designed to work well with Aerohive’s HiveManager NG, a next-gen cloud-based management solution that simplifies end-user wired and wireless access.
Built for small to medium size business environments, Dell EMC’s N1100 line support IoT initiatives and workforce transformations that help support a wireless-first work space so end users and access points get connected wherever they are located.
Dell EMC has also announced new Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) Advisory features:
- A workshop to research the customer’s foundational requirements and provide design recommendations to implement NFV infrastructure solutions
- Proof of technology for a detailed on-site assessment of an operator’s infrastructure and operational environment as well as their readiness for the insertion of virtualized network nodes
- The return on investment advisory, which delivers a detailed analysis on the key financial impacts that will result in the transformation to NFV and SDN
Availability
Dell indicated the following availability for their new products:
- The Dell EMC S5100-ON series is expected to available in the third quarter of Dell Technologies’ 2018 fiscal year
- The Dell EMC S4100-ON series is expected to begin shipping select models in the second quarter of Dell Technologies’ 2018 fiscal year. Additional models will begin shipping throughout the year
- The Dell EMC N1100-ON series is expected to be available in the second quarter of Dell Technologies’ 2018 fiscal year
- The NFV Advisory Services are expected to be available in the second quarter of Dell Technologies’ 2018 fiscal year
- The IoT Technology Advisory Services are available now
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