The 8/8 Base SAN Switch and 8/8 SAN Switch are targeted for small to medium sized enterprises and are ideal for entry-level SANs, and as an edge switch for core-to-edge SAN environments. The 8/8 Base SAN Switch and 8/8 SAN Switch provide SAN connectivity that simplifies IT management infrastructures, improves system performance, maximizes the value of virtual server deployments, and reduces overall storage costs.
The 8/8 SAN Switch integrates innovative hardware and software features that make it easy to deploy, manage, and integrate into a wide range of IT environments. The 8 Gbit/sec Fibre Channel 8/8 Base SAN Switch provides a simple, affordable, single-switch solution for a new, small SAN installation and connects to storage and servers only. An optional Full Fabric SAN scaling license provides connectivity to other switches. The 8/8 SAN Switch has 8 active ports and can be connected to multiple switches and scale to full fabric limits as defined in the SAN Design Guide. Both new 8 port switches provide growth options with Ports On Demand, the ability to activate additional ports in 8 port increments to a maximum of 24 ports. This provides the flexibility to start small and grow storage networks in a non-disruptive manner. In addition, organizations can choose to initially deploy 4 Gbit/sec SFPs and upgrade to 8 Gbit/sec SFP+ at a later date when necessary
The 8/8 SAN Switch significantly increases performance and functionality for SANs at an entry-level price. The 8/8 SAN Switch provides auto-sensing 1, 2, 4, and 8 Gbit/sec full duplex performance to enable up to 128 Gbit/sec of uncongested throughput. Auto-sensing and speed-matching of data traffic provides interoperability with previous 1, 2, and 4 Gbit/sec devices. To provide more targeted performance, enhanced Inter-Switch Link (ISL) Trunking combines up to eight ISLs between a pair of switches into a single, logical high-speed trunk capable of up to 64 Gbit/sec of throughput. The evolutionary design provides these capabilities while consuming less than 2.5 watts of power per port for exceptional power and cooling efficiency.
An optional enhanced Power Pack+ software bundle can be purchased separately and includes Fabric Vision, Fabric Watch, ISL Trunking, Extended Fabric and Advanced Performance Monitor. The software bundle provides the SAN administrator with the necessary tools to proactively monitor the health and performance thresholds of the network, while also ensuring the highest levels of security, scalability and manageability. Power Pack+ software enables infrastructure management through a single-pane-ofglass.
