Key Features - Lenovo ThinkSystem NE2572 Product Manual

Key features

The NE2572 RackSwitch runs the Cloud NOS that provides a simple, open and programmable network
infrastructure designed to scale for your business needs. Its intelligent, cloud-scale performance delivers a
software-defined Ethernet solution that is simple to manage and easy to deploy using common
management tools. Cloud NOS is based on open, industry standards for better data center interoperability,
and it enables support of automation and orchestration applications for tight integration into the data
center ecosystem.
With its high-performance architecture and support for an extensive set of routing protocols, Cloud NOS
provides reliable, high-performance fabric for traditional, converged and hyperscale solutions. Cloud NOS
can help you consolidate server and storage networks into a single fabric. Converged Enhanced Ethernet
delivers value for your iSCSI and NAS enterprise storage environments.
The NE2572 RackSwitch is considered particularly suited for the following environments:
Mixed 10 GbE and 25 GbE server and storage connectivity with 40 GbE and 100 GbE upstream
aggregation
Cloud and virtualization solutions with VM-aware network automation and integration into Lenovo
and third-party IT and cloud infrastructure management tools
Converged SAN and LAN network via NAS and iSCSI storage connectivity
Reduced I/O cost (CAPEX) with fewer adapters and cables to purchase
Reduced complexity (OPEX) with fewer components to manage and lower energy cost
Web-scale and hyperconverged solutions
Applications demanding better performance and lower latency
The NE2572 RackSwitch offers the following features and benefits:
High performance
The 10 Gb/25 Gb Ethernet NE2572 RackSwitch with 40 Gb/100 Gb Ethernet uplinks provides a
combination of low latency, non-blocking line-rate switching, and ease of management with 3.6
Tbps throughput.
Lower power and better cooling
The front-to-rear or rear-to-front cooling design of the NE2572 RackSwitch reduces data center air
conditioning costs by having airflow match the servers in the rack. In addition, variable speed fans
help reduce power consumption.
Layer 3 functionality
The NE2572 RackSwitch includes Layer 3 functionality, which provides security and performance
benefits, as inter-VLAN traffic stays within the switch. This switch also provides the full range of
Layer 3 protocols from static routes for technologies, such as Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) and
Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) for enterprise customers.
Network virtualization
The NE2572 switch supports VXLAN Gateway for VMware NSX integration. VMware NSX is a
virtualized network software platform that offers a full set of networking services, such as logical
switching, routing, firewall, load balancing, VPN, quality of service (QoS), and monitoring.
Converged fabric
The NE2572 RackSwitch supports Converged Enhanced Ethernet (CEE) which helps enable
customers to combine storage, messaging traffic, VoIP, video, and other data on a common data
center lossless Ethernet infrastructure. As a result, customers can deploy a single server interface
for multiple data types, which can simplify the deployment and management of server network
connectivity while maintaining the high availability and robustness that is required for storage
transactions.
Lenovo ThinkSystem NE2572 RackSwitch 2