Networking Information Online

If you are in search for a high quality rack server then you need to look at the Dell PowerEdge R620. This is a monster of a machine and the configurations simply vindicate the point. For greater performance more and more companies are now jumping on to use the PowerEdge R620. Let us have a look at what constitutes this monstrous so that it gives great performance:

•    Processor – the main highlight of this machine is the presence of the Intel Xeon E5-2600 processor. That is not the end as it has 24 DIMMs which will help in creating more virtual machines and also giving high end performance.
•    Greater I/O performance – with PCIe Gen-3 expansion slots possibilities are endless. Moreover, there are a lot of PCIe based products that give support to greater I/O performance. There is also double bandwidth speed and as a result there is increased GPU processing acceleration and networking performance.
•    Improved networking – with the right kind of network fabric along with Dell’s Select Network Adapter, networking performance is vastly improved. In addition to this, one has a choice of Intel or Broadcom technology for 1 Gb Ethernet or 10 Gb Ethernet speeds and that too without the need for a PCIe slot.
•    Enhanced systems management – if deployment of a server gives you headaches, then those are over. With the help of unique iDRAC7 (Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller) along with Lifecycle Controller 2.0, deployment, updation and maintenance are very easy. These features help the server work in physical or virtual or local environments without even the need for systems management software. OpenManage Essentials helps in integration and connection of 3rd party software with the server and helps maintain a single point of control and also monitors the server health.
•    Awesome operational efficiency – with the help of failsafe hypervisor with redundant SD cards virtualized applications will remain highly available. Hot-swap disks, power supply units and fans ensure that maintenance is low and downtime is absolutely minimal.
•    Storage versatility – storage for the R620 is not a problem with ten 2.5 inch hard drives/chassis. These are also hot-swappable. There is an option for a PCI Express flash drive that adds up to the storage options. A number of RAID levels can be maintained with the help of an internal RAID controller.

The major advantages of this server are:

•    It increases performance and thereby helps save a huge amount of money on server power.
•    The server fans use very low energy to run.
•    It has the ability to add more SQL virtual machines per rack.
•    A host of applications like Dell Quickstart Data Warehouse Appliance, Dell vStart for Dell Private Cloud etc. give enhanced performance.

The PowerEdge C6220 is a great server that gives high quality performance for industries. For great switching solutions you may also consider the Cisco 6548 series switches.

These are generally the differences between a hub, a switch or a router. For switching solutions one should consider the sup 720 10g Cisco 10gigabit Ethernet or the WS-X6716-10G-3C.

For a good fiber channel host bus adapter, consider the QLE2560. It has a host of features that are bound to leave any user happy. It has next generation 8 Gb FC technology that can be used to power the data centric enterprise business.

The technical aspects of QLE2560-CK are:

• It is a single port 8 Gb Fiber Channel device.
• It can offer up to 1600MBps speed at full duplex.
• For increased virtualization there are 256 queue pairs.
• It can dynamically manage power with the help of StartPower link training.
• The HBA driver and firmware architecture are united.
• The topology used in this system is FC-AL, point to point, FCAL2 and switched fabric.
• The protocol followed is FCP-3-SCSI and FC-Tape.

• It provides great security, dynamic provisioning, multiple connections sharing the same port and good quality of service.
• This is optimized for power efficiency and so offers good power management options. It is equipped with PCI express link training, lower airflow modifications through thermally efficient layouts.
• By maintaining Overlapping Protection Domains, the device provides the highest data integrity.
• Security is high in this model since it enables fabric level isolation, end to end data integrity and SAN level authorization.
• The compatibility is at the back with 2 GB and GB speeds. Deployment is simple as there is a single driver per OS and the firmware that is embedded in the model clears out any problems between firmware and driver.
• As the model is API compatible with all 4 GB products it can be deployed easily without any issues and also ensuring compatibility with applications.

• Fibre channel 8 Gb to PCI express
• Speeds of 1600 Mbps at full duplex
• Two hundred thousand initiator and target IOPS.
• PCI Express Card specification and Bus Power management interface.
• Hot plug specification and star power link training.
• PCIe x8 physical connector, max x4 lanes for Gen2 rate and max x8 lanes for Gen1 rate.

• Very much reliable, available and can be serviced easily.
• The security is optimized.
• Optimized for power, virtualization and management.

With the large amount of data involved in day to day transactions in data-centric businesses it is without any doubt that you will shortly run out of data storage options. Moreover, the data need to be backed up in case a calamity strikes and you are left to rue your ill-luck.

Well, there are quite a few options regarding data storage and let us take a look at those options and how good they are:

A. Hard drives – these can be both internal and external. If it is an external drive then it is covered up by a hard casing and it has individual power sources. The external drives are connected via the USB or the faster FireWire port and they are detected as another hard drive. External drives give one the option to protect them with password and carry it to places. Only a bit of preventive maintenance and it will be fine.

B. NAS – a scaled down computer connected to an existing network is what makes up NAS or Network Area Storage. The data is stored and accessed as and when required over a network. Unlike any other normal computers with keyboard and mouse, they are just limited to storing data. They however require some space and security to set up but are a very good option.

C. Optical drives – these include the common CDs and DVDs that we use to store movies, songs and other stuff. They are very cheap and can store a fairly large amount of data (CDs – 700 MB, DVDs – 4.7 GB). A bit of care is needed so that they do not get any scratches or spoiled in high temperatures or even get broken.

D. Flash memory – portability is the USP of these storages. They consist of USB drives or memory cards and they get into the USB ports of computers. Smart and portable as they are, they have one drawback of getting infected with viruses. And they can also get misplaced or lost. But all in all these drives are quite good as portable storage options but unfortunately do not come in large capacities.

E. Online storage – this type of storage requires one to make up backup copies of data and store them online. Many businesses offer this kind of service for a nominal fee and only a network connection is needed. Also, due to remote storage the data can be accessed via internet anytime, anywhere. The downside in this regard is that you need to have a fast internet connection or else data upload/download will take an eternity.

F. Internal hard drive – this is quite a cheap option as the data can be backed up on the same system without having to add extra space. An internal drive with greater speed will add to the overall speed of work being done quickly. Moreover, the data can be copied simultaneously as the work progresses. Also, additional drives can be added as and when required.

These are generally the storage options available to users as their data storage needs increase. For, good rack servers one may consider the Dell PowerEdge C6100 or for a good host bus adapter one should look at the QLE2560-CK.

• Network switches do their operations at the Data Link Layer or the layer two of the OSI model of networking.
• In appearance they are similar to network hubs but are better able to handle network connections.
• They have the ability to check the data packets that pass through them and can send them to the required destinations appropriately.
• Network switches can conserve network bandwidth.
• Network switches are implemented for Ethernet connections.
• When switches are connected to each other it is called as called as daisy chaining.
• Network can save money for businesses and increase the productivity of an organization.

• Unmanaged switches – it is very simple and can be used right out of the box. It‘s very easy to install and does not require much of a configuration. Generally used in homes, these types of switches have less amount of network capacity.
• Managed switches – these types of switches can be configured and they have greater amount of flexibility. These also have better capacity than unmanaged switches. A managed switch can be adjusted locally or in a remote way to allow for greater control.

In today’s communication, the use of network switches cannot be undermined. There are various switches to choose from and among them 3560V2 switch is one of the best. Also, WS-C3560G-24PS-S is a really good model. These are high speed devices and perform to the best of their abilities.

In networking, topology is the method of connecting devices to one another. It is the way of arrangement that helps in the proper utilization of resources and bandwidth. 5 different types of topologies exist and each has its own positive and negative points.

A closer look at the 5 types of topologies will help in clearing out the basic facts. It should be kept in mind that the physical arrangement of computers has no connection to the topology being followed to connect them:

A. Bus topology – in this type of topology, there is a single cable, called backbone that connects all the computers, one right after the other. This method of connecting is like a daisy-chain. Message is sent from one node through the backbone and then to the intended node or destination.
                      
Disadvantage - the problem with this topology is that the sender sends a broadcast message that all the other nodes or devices are able to see but the recipient can only accept it.

B. Ring topology – as the name suggests this is a ring type set up where the nodes are daisy chained and they are connected one after the other and a complete circuit is formed. The sender at first sends out the message which goes to the next node and to the next until it reaches the intended node. The flow of the data can be either in a clockwise or in an anti-clockwise direction.
   
Disadvantage – since the nodes are all connected via a loop, any breakdown in the cable or a device can cause total failure.

C. Star topology – in this topology all the nodes are connected to a central connection called hub and any message originated must pass through the hub. When a message originates from a node it sends to the hub which then sends it to the intended node.
    
Disadvantage – there is not much of a disadvantage. Until and otherwise the hub fails the system will work fine.

D. Tree topology – this type of topology is a mixture of both star and bus topology. More than one hub is connected in a bus system and at the end of each hub devices are connected in star topology. In this method the network can be expanded in the future and more hubs connected.
   
Disadvantage – only disadvantage is that the system will go down if and only if the backbone cable goes down.

E. Mesh topology – as the name suggests this network is made in such a way that every device is connected to every other device and thus messages are sent via every conceivable pathway. This is generally employed in the WAN connection.
     
Disadvantage – due to many redundant connections present, this can prove to be quite expensive. Also the set up and maintenance is quite difficult.

These are the topologies that are followed in network connections. No one topology is perfectly foolproof and depends upon the situation and the requirement. The Cisco 2960s and C3750v2 are two very good switches that are used to connect devices together in topologies.

These are modular and innovative switches that are very much flexible in adjusting to the growth needs of the clients. Thus, as demands grow there remains no lack of growth in connectivity solutions and so, upgradation and reconfiguration does not seem at all a problem.

With the 6500 series of Catalyst switches, new modules can be added, existing modules be replaced and thus systems can be effectively redeployed with no problems whatsoever.

Suitable for most data centers, Ethernet networks etc. there are a lot of features that speak highly of this series:

• 80 Gbps switching capacity is achieved through 2 Tbps fabric. The Cisco catalyst VSS helps achieve up to 4 Tbps system capacity. 
• A maximum of 360 10 G ports and 1068 1 G ports per VSS are supported by the 40 G capable system. 
• Up to 720 mpps of IPv4 and 390 mpps of IPv6 are supported by supervisor 2 T engine. All bandwidths are activated across redundant Catalyst 6500 systems and there is no form of asymmetric routing. 
• There is provision for deterministic subsecond recovery and also interchassis stateful failover support. 
• Management is just single point. 
• No requirement for First Hop Resiliency Protocol and topologies are simply loop free. 
• Segmentation, privacy, limited fate sharing, path isolation and address space separation technologies help to offer infrastructure consolidation. 
• Using IP/MPLS technologies end to end virtualization is delivered. 
• Cisco TrustSec has the power to identify, tag, encrypt and enforce and thus maintain a high level of security for the system. 
• It also has the ability to support endpoint admission control as well as network device admission control.
• Ingress/egress TrustSec reflector provides investment protection. 
• The main thrust is on simplification and providing economic benefits for the network with the presence of integrated services modules. 
• An innovative modular design in one chassis helps fit in multiple generations of components. 
• Switched Port Analyzer and Remote Switched Port Analyzer helps monitor switches across a network. Encapsulated Remote SPAN connects analyzers to any port on the network in virtual mode. 
• Application is provided through CPU preserving network export. 
• Connectivity Management Processor helps in image recovery and console logging. 
• Mini Port analyzer helps in delivering onboard packet capture. 

This series has set very high standards for network communications and applications delivery. Built with intelligence, this provides secure services for enterprise and service providers. The USP of this series is the savings in costs that this brings. Two products in this series that are highly effective are the Cisco 6724 and the WS-X6582-2PA.