Key Features And Benefits - Cisco MDS 9120 Datasheet

CISCO MDS 9100 SERIES—BUILDING COST-EFFECTIVE INTELLIGENT FABRICS
The Cisco MDS 9100 Series elevates the standard for Fibre Channel fabric switches, bringing Cisco Intelligent Networking to small and medium-
scale SANs and data-center edge applications. The Cisco MDS 9100 Series provides the ideal balance of cost, performance, and enterprise-class
features in a compact 1RU form factor. Available in 20- and 40-port configurations, the Cisco MDS 9100 Series offers the port densities required for
a wide variety of storage environments. Providing class-leading scalability, availability, security, and management, the Cisco MDS 9100 Series
enables users to deploy high-performance SANs with low TCO. Layering a rich set of intelligent features onto a cost-effective, small-profile
switching platform, the Cisco MDS 9100 Series addresses the cost, performance, ease of management, and connectivity requirements of small and
medium-scale storage environments and provides full-feature compatibility with Cisco MDS 9500 Series Multilayer Directors and the Cisco MDS
9200 Series Multilayer Fabric Switches for transparent, end-to-end service delivery in large data-center core-edge deployments.
OPTIMIZED CONNECTIVITY
Cisco MDS 9100 Series switches optimize connectivity by matching switch-port performance to the requirements of connected devices. Target-
optimized ports are configured to meet the bandwidth demands of high-performance storage devices, servers, and Inter-Switch Links (ISLs). Host-
optimized ports deliver best-in-class port density and optimal bandwidth for host-attach. The Cisco MDS 9120 model switch is configured with 16
host-optimized ports and 4 target-optimized ports. The Cisco MDS 9140 model switch is configured with 32 host-optimized ports and 8 target-
optimized ports. Cisco MDS 9100 Series switches include hot-swappable, Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP), LC interfaces. Individual ports can
be configured with either short- or long-wavelength SFPs for connectivity up to 500m and 10 km, respectively. Available coarse wavelength-
division multiplexing (CWDM) SFPs support aggregation of multiple links onto a single optical fiber through a low-cost, passive, optical
multiplexer/demultiplexer. All interfaces are 2 Gbps compatible. Up to 255 buffer credits per port are supported on target-optimized ports for
maximum extensibility without the requirement for additional licensing. Host-optimized ports support 12 buffer credits per port.
Advanced Traffic Management for High-Performance, Resilient Fabrics
Advanced traffic management capabilities integrated into the Cisco MDS 9100 Series simplify deployment and optimization of large-scale fabrics.
Virtual Output Queuing ensures line rate performance on each port, independent of traffic pattern, by eliminating head-of-line blocking
255 Buffer-to-Buffer credits are assigned to each port for optimal bandwidth utilization across distance. When extended distances are required,
up to 3,500 credits can be allocated to a single port within a group of four Fibre Channel ports.
PortChannels allow users to aggregate up to 15 physical ISLs into a single logical bundle, providing optimized bandwidth utilization across all
links. The bundle can consist of any port from any module in the chassis, ensuring that the bundle remains active even in the event of a module
failure.
Fabric Shortest Path First (FSPF)-based multipathing provides the intelligence to load balance across up to 15 equal cost paths and, in the event of
a switch failure, dynamically reroute traffic.
Quality of Service (QoS) can be used to manage bandwidth and control latency, in order to prioritize critical traffic.
Fibre Channel Congestion Control (FCC), an end-to-end feedback-based congestion control mechanism, augments the Fibre Channel's Buffer-to-
Buffer credit mechanism to provide enhanced traffic management.

KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS

VSANs and INTER-VSAN Routing Enhance Security and Stability
VSANs allow more efficient storage network utilization by creating hardware-based isolated environments within a single physical SAN fabric or
switch. Each VSAN can be zoned as a typical SAN and maintains its own fabric services for added scalability and resilience. VSANs allow the cost
of SAN infrastructure to be shared among more users, while assuring absolute segregation of traffic and retaining independent control of
configuration on a VSAN-by-VSAN basis.
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