Cadence Design Systems has selected Foundry Networks' next-generation routers and switches for its new centralized data center. Foundry's NetIron MLX Series of metro routers and the BigIron RX Series of routing switches are now deployed within Cadence's data center backbone to handle the influx in traffic due to the bandwidth-intensive applications required to create and test the semiconductors and circuit boards used in consumer electronics, networking, telecommunications equipment, and computer systems. "Performance per rack unit and data center real estate are key concerns of ours, and we are constantly trying to analyze ways to maximize performance and minimize space," explains Dan Salisbury, vice president of global IT for Cadence Design Systems. "After an extensive search, we determined that Foundry's solutions provided us with the best combination of port density and redundancy features to utilize less space and increase system resiliency." According to a 2006 research report by Gartner Inc., through 2010, out-of-date data center networks will increase computing costs by at least 30% and will deliver poor performance and availability. Foundry's next-generation NetIron MLX router powers Cadence's data center backbone by providing routing between its 2,000 servers, while each of the BigIron RX routing switches will aggregate more than 500 of its servers with ample room for future growth, say Foundry representatives. Each BigIron RX utilizes Foundry's non-blocking 48-port 10/100/1000 MRJ-21 Ethernet module, which supports high-density configurations without forcing Cadence to compromise Quality of Service (QoS), latency or throughput, contends the company. The 48-port 10/100/1000 MRJ-21 module increases the non-blocking Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) capacity to 768 ports for a single BigIron RX system and 2,304 ports in a standard 7-foot equipment rack. The high-density configurations are ideally suited for high- capacity server farms and high-performance computing environments where the number of servers and compute nodes are driving demand for non-blocking interconnect solutions that can scale well beyond 500 GbE ports. The BigIron RX and NetIron MLX families feature redundant switch fabrics, system management, and power supply components to ensure maximum reliability and efficiency. According to Foundry, they are the industry's first true 100-Gigabit Ethernet (100-GbE) ready systems with the highest non-blocking 10-GbE and GbE port densities available today protecting Cadence's capital investment for years to come.