MANUFACTURING

Force10 Networks today announced that its C-Series family of resilient switches is now integrated with the IBM System Cluster 1350 solutions, which includes the new System x iDataPlex. With a fully integrated solution, IBM and Force10 are reducing the time and complexity of deploying clusters, enabling enterprise customers to fully leverage the benefits of high performance computing power. “High performance cluster environments are no longer the exclusive domain of supercomputing and other research-oriented environments,” said Sergio Amoni, Director System x Marketing, IBM. “By integrating the Force10 C-Series with the System x portfolio, we are in a unique position to extend the value of the solution to a broad array of enterprise-level customers that require cost-effective, high density clustering across a wide range of applications.” By utilizing lower cost servers and open source software for high performance workloads, the IBM 1350 solutions deliver significant price and performance advantages. With the Force10 C-Series as part of the solution, customers gain the reliability, network control and scalability they require to ensure efficient integration and operation within the network. The Force10 C-Series, which includes the C300 and C150, scales from 192 to 384 line-rate Gigabit Ethernet ports and 32 to 64 line-rate 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports. The C-Series family of switches provides the flexibility in system capacity that allows IBM to optimize the solution for the unique needs of its customers. Recently named Networking Product of the Year by Techworld, the C300 has a switching capacity of 1.5 Terabits per second or 96 Gigabits per second per slot and a passive copper backplane that eliminates it as a point of failure within the system. “Network requirements of the corporate enterprise cluster reflect many of the performance and reliability demands of the supercomputing environments,” said Marc Randall, CEO of Force10 Networks. “With the Force10 C-Series now deployed as part of the 1350 solution, IT managers can enjoy all the high-end performance, reliability, and scalability features with more cost-effective options.” In addition to integrating the C-Series into its cluster solutions, IBM also supports the Force10 TeraScale E-Series for deployments in high performance supercomputing environments and the Force10 S-Series family of access switches, which extends core-like reliability to the edge of the network. The Force10 Reliable Networking product portfolio supports advances in reliability, network control and scalability that enable enterprises to lower their total cost of ownership. By building a flexible network that is ready to support emerging and evolving applications, enterprises can optimize their networks for current needs as well as future requirements.