Chapter 1 Brocade Vdx 6740 Introduction; In This Chapter; Brocade Vdx 6740 Overview - Brocade Communications Systems Brocade VDX 6740 Hardware Reference Manual

Brocade VDX 6740 Introduction

In this chapter

Brocade VDX 6740 overview

The Brocade VDX 6740 switches are top-of-rack, Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) line-rate, low latency,
lossless Data Center Bridging (DCB) switches:
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Each 40 GbE port can be reconfigured as four 10 GbE ports in QSFP breakout mode. Thus, the
Brocade VDX 6740 switches can be configured with as many as 64 10 GbE ports.
The Brocade VDX 6740 switches run on the Brocade Network Operating System (Network OS)
v4.0.0 or later. The 100 Mbps speed for Base-T ports on Brocade VDX 6740T and Brocade VDX
6740T-1G switches is available with Brocade Network OS v4.1.0 and later. For details about
Network OS, refer to the Brocade Network OS Administrator's Guide.
A key feature of the Brocade VDX 6740 switches is Brocade VCS™ technology, which includes
virtual cluster switching, a new set of technologies that allows users to create flatter, virtualized,
and converged data center networks. VCS fabrics are scalable, permitting users to expand at their
own pace, and simplified, allowing users to manage the fabric as a single entity. VCS-based
Ethernet fabrics are convergence-capable with technologies such as Fibre Channel over Ethernet
(FCoE) for storage.
Brocade VDX 6740 Hardware Reference Manual
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Brocade VDX 6740 overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
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Views of the Brocade VDX 6740 switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
The Brocade VDX 6740 offers SFP+ ports for its 1/10 GbE interfaces. Base models contain 24
Ethernet ports operating at 1 Gbps, 10 Gbps, or in auto-sensing mode. A 10G Port Upgrade
license can add 1/10G ports in increments of 8, 16, and 24 ports. A 40G Port Upgrade license
can be added for either two or four 40 GbE ports.
The Brocade VDX 6740T offers 1/10G Base-T (RJ-45) ports and additional 40 GbE QSFP ports.
Base models contain 24 Ethernet ports operating at 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps, 10 Gbps, or in
auto-sensing mode. A 10G Port Upgrade license can add ports in increments of 8, 16, and 24
ports. A 40G Port Upgrade license can be added for either two or four 40 GbE ports.
The Brocade VDX 6740T-1G offers 1G Base-T (RJ-45) ports and additional 40 GbE QSFP ports.
Base models are fully populated with 48 Base-T ports operating at 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps, or in
auto-sensing mode. A 10G Port Upgrade license enables RJ-45 port operation at 10 Gbps. This
license can be applied in increments of 16, 32, and 48 ports. The Brocade VDX 6740T-1G
ships standard with two 40 GbE ports. A 40G Port Upgrade license can be added for two
additional 40 GbE ports.
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