Data Center Ethernet Solution

The rise in popularity of virtualization and cloud services - within the enterprise and service providers, has led to a rapid increase in the performance requirements expected from Data Centers; subsequently, driving a fundamental re-architecture of the Data Center network. Ethernet has emerged as the de-facto technology to unify communications in the Data Center across both the data and the storage networks. According to Infonetics Research, Data Center Ethernet represents a large and growing market, and the revenue from Data Center switches alone is expected to reach $7 billion in 2014. This represents an increase of nearly $3 billion in annual revenue over today’s base and a 10% CAGR over the next few years.

	“More than 60 telecom equipment manufacturers use ISS as an integral part of their offerings, including 7 of the top 10 Ethernet vendors”

Aricent’s offers ISS packages for a variety of applications, from Top-of-Rack and End-of-Row Data Center switches, to simple Managed Ethernet switches, to Industrial Ethernet platforms, from Layer 3 switches with comprehensive routing capabilities, to Metro Ethernet / Carrier Ethernet applications, such as cellular / mobile backhaul, optical aggregation, DSLAMs, GPON switches, and Multi Service Access Nodes (MSANs).

	"Gnodal has developed a revolutionary Data Center technology that offers a magnitude of improvement in terms of performance while reducing power consumption to a fraction of existing infrastructures. We chose Aricent’s ISS to power this technology as its superior performance and extensive feature-set helps us deliver high quality and interoperable Data Center switching products.” - Tony Ford, COO, Gnodal

Customer Challenges

• To quickly launch innovative products and capture market share in the rapidly growing market for Data Center Ethernet equipment (general all purpose Ethernet switches and custom-built equipment for Data Center Ethernet), which is expected to grow at a 5-year CAGR of 17%.
•  Keep pace with the advances in chipsets, manage exponential technology complexities, and deliver on a product roadmap that aligns feature introduction closely to market adoption - while continuing to maximize the ROI on R&D expenditure.

Aricent Data Center Ethernet Solutions

• Industry tested IP/Ethernet software solution– Aricent provides a complete software development framework –Intelligent Switching Solution with Data Center specific features such as Data Center Bridging Extensions (DCBX), extensions for LLDP, Priority Flow Control (PFC) and priority groups and end-to-end congestion management.
• Support for multiple network processor and hardware board platforms – Aricent solutions have been optimized for performance on multiple network processors as well as hardware platforms. This has been achieved by building a complete ecosystem through strategic partnerships with Wintegra, Fulcrum, Marvell, Agere-LSI, Broadcom, Cavium, Accton and Flextronics.
• Advanced feature-set support – The ISS Data Center extensions offer VAN management, Q-in-Q, RSTP, MSTP, GVRP, GMRP, MRP, IGMP / MLD snooping, 802.1x authentication, Link aggregation, LLDP , IPv4 and IPv6 routing (RIP, OSPF, BGP, IGMP, PIM, DVMRP), Fault tolerant L2 and L3 control management plane for highest availability levels.
• Wide range of service offerings – Aricent’s services, delivered by professionals with deep domain expertise in Ethernet technologies, include product strategy and design, product development, testing and certification, as well as sustenance and support.

Key Benefits

• Reduced product development risk: Aricent’s industry proven system integration services to build complete Data Center Switches, Aggregation Devices, Data Server Ethernet Switch Blades, Data Center Routers, etc. by integrating licensable software solutions with customized hardware and silicon, helps equipment vendors de-risk new product introduction, both from a time-to-market and a R&D expense perspective.

• Unique combination of software and services: A unique combination of licensable software solutions and a range of product lifecycle services offered by an expert team enable Aricent’s customers deliver high-quality Data Center switching and routing solutions cost effectively.

• Accelerated time-to-market: Aricent’s proven ISS switching solution and skilled resource pool enable the delivery of a competitive, high technology product while ensuring faster time-to-market.

• Reduced costs: Strategic engagements for system integration services with licensable software solutions enable significant reduction of both CAPEX and OPEX.