The Ethernet Alliance announced Monday its recent plugfest successfully tested multivendor interoperability of the IEEE’s 802.1 Data Center Bridging draft specification using 10GBASE-SR and 10GBASE-LR optical interfaces.
The plugfest, held May 4-8 at the University of New Hampshire Interoperability Lab (UNH-IOL), was the first time multiple vendors had participated in testing products based upon the IEEE 802.1 DCB draft standards.
“The IEEE 802.1 DCB draft standards offer significant improvements in how data moves through Ethernet networks and permits convergence of multiple traffic types onto a single network,” stated Brad Booth, chairman of the Ethernet Alliance.
Participants – Cisco, Dell, Finisar, Fulcrum Microsystems, Intel, NetApp, QLogic and Spirent Communications – demonstrated the interoperability of their products and participated in a lossless Ethernet fabric simultaneously on the same network.
Testing was completed in two phases. In the first phase, participants completed individual tests of specific DCB features such as Priority-based Flow Control (IEEE P802.1Qbb), Enhanced Transmission Selection (IEEE P802.1Qaz), and DCB Capability Exchange Protocol (IEEE P802.1Qaz). The second testing phase included building a large DCB-based network and exercising higher layer protocols such as Fibre Channel over Ethernet and iSCSI.
This plugfest is the first in a series that the Ethernet Alliance’s Ethernet in the Data Center subcommittee plans. A second plugfest, to be held later this year, will demonstrate interoperability of additional DCB features and will welcome additional industry participation.
