Comments on: Consolidated I/O for virtual data centers http://storagemojo.com/2009/11/17/consolidated-io-for-virtual-data-centers/ Data storage info & analysis Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:02:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nick http://storagemojo.com/2009/11/17/consolidated-io-for-virtual-data-centers/comment-page-1/#comment-207712 Nick Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:47:32 +0000 http://storagemojo.com/?p=1699#comment-207712 Xsigo's solution sounds like an exact "respin" of Topspin. Xsigo’s solution sounds like an exact “respin” of Topspin.

]]> By: Joe Kraska http://storagemojo.com/2009/11/17/consolidated-io-for-virtual-data-centers/comment-page-1/#comment-206767 Joe Kraska Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:23:15 +0000 http://storagemojo.com/?p=1699#comment-206767 John, if one wants a big, cheap pipe, one can just plop in Infiniband adapters and go to down with IP-o-IB, which is currently supported by VMWare. That only leaves one with the need for an IB switch and an IB-to-IP Gateway device. The latter can be rolled by hand with any Linux box (or pair of Linux boxen, using something simple like Redhat Cluster Suite or your favorite clustering tool, if you need HA). John, if one wants a big, cheap pipe, one can just plop in Infiniband adapters and go to down with IP-o-IB, which is currently supported by VMWare. That only leaves one with the need for an IB switch and an IB-to-IP Gateway device. The latter can be rolled by hand with any Linux box (or pair of Linux boxen, using something simple like Redhat Cluster Suite or your favorite clustering tool, if you need HA).

]]> By: Joe Kraska http://storagemojo.com/2009/11/17/consolidated-io-for-virtual-data-centers/comment-page-1/#comment-206766 Joe Kraska Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:20:10 +0000 http://storagemojo.com/?p=1699#comment-206766 Dan, 3 Leaf withdrew their I/O Virtualization product from the market well over a year ago. I had ordered their product for eval into our labs, but they canceled my order. Dan,

3 Leaf withdrew their I/O Virtualization product from the market well over a year ago. I had ordered their product for eval into our labs, but they canceled my order.

]]> By: Robin Harris http://storagemojo.com/2009/11/17/consolidated-io-for-virtual-data-centers/comment-page-1/#comment-206741 Robin Harris Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:26:16 +0000 http://storagemojo.com/?p=1699#comment-206741 John, I haven't looked at Xsigo's pricing, but they said they work on a cost displacement basis. My comment was based on Infiniband prices, which are competitive for the bandwdith. Robin John, I haven’t looked at Xsigo’s pricing, but they said they work on a cost displacement basis. My comment was based on Infiniband prices, which are competitive for the bandwdith.

Robin

]]> By: John http://storagemojo.com/2009/11/17/consolidated-io-for-virtual-data-centers/comment-page-1/#comment-206733 John Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:27:20 +0000 http://storagemojo.com/?p=1699#comment-206733 Xsigo does have an interesting product but describing it as a big cheap pipe is just not accurate. I've seen quotes for minimally configured systems running into 6 figures. There is positively a cost barrier with this technology. One of the cool things about Xsigo is the ability to consolidate fibre channel and ethernet networks into 1 IB connection to the host. However in environments moving to FC0E with native FCoE targets, this benefit is lost or can also be provided by Cisco Nexus switches in mixed ethernet/FC environments for considerably less money. Xsigo does have an interesting product but describing it as a big cheap pipe is just not accurate. I’ve seen quotes for minimally configured systems running into 6 figures. There is positively a cost barrier with this technology. One of the cool things about Xsigo is the ability to consolidate fibre channel and ethernet networks into 1 IB connection to the host. However in environments moving to FC0E with native FCoE targets, this benefit is lost or can also be provided by Cisco Nexus switches in mixed ethernet/FC environments for considerably less money.

]]> By: Dan Pollack http://storagemojo.com/2009/11/17/consolidated-io-for-virtual-data-centers/comment-page-1/#comment-206719 Dan Pollack Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:57:58 +0000 http://storagemojo.com/?p=1699#comment-206719 Check out - 3leaf systems for approximate competition http://www.3leafsystems.com/ Check out – 3leaf systems for approximate competition
http://www.3leafsystems.com/

]]> By: Jon Toor http://storagemojo.com/2009/11/17/consolidated-io-for-virtual-data-centers/comment-page-1/#comment-206701 Jon Toor Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:06:20 +0000 http://storagemojo.com/?p=1699#comment-206701 Great questions here! Let me expand on the answers already offered. First on Xen. Yes, Xsigo is transparent to the hypervisor. It appears as any physical NIC or HBA would. The only question is driver availability. On that front, yes, Red Hat Xen is supported, as well as VMware ESX 3.5 & 4.0, Linux, Windows, HyperV, Novell. Support is continuously being expanded, as well. The host adapters are Mellanox, and are available from Xsigo and also from virtually every server maker. Most vendors also offer mezzanine cards for blades and switch modules as well. So Xsigo works across most every X86 server and blade system. Both 20G and 40G adapters can be used, and the cost on these is surprisingly low given the performance. On our blog, we've started a series on virtual I/O technology basics. A good place to start if you're interested in learning more about this exciting new space! http://www.xsigo.com/blog/ - Jon Great questions here! Let me expand on the answers already offered.

First on Xen. Yes, Xsigo is transparent to the hypervisor. It appears as any physical NIC or HBA would. The only question is driver availability. On that front, yes, Red Hat Xen is supported, as well as VMware ESX 3.5 & 4.0, Linux, Windows, HyperV, Novell. Support is continuously being expanded, as well.

The host adapters are Mellanox, and are available from Xsigo and also from virtually every server maker. Most vendors also offer mezzanine cards for blades and switch modules as well. So Xsigo works across most every X86 server and blade system. Both 20G and 40G adapters can be used, and the cost on these is surprisingly low given the performance.

On our blog, we’ve started a series on virtual I/O technology basics. A good place to start if you’re interested in learning more about this exciting new space! http://www.xsigo.com/blog/

– Jon

]]> By: What a Tech Field Day! – Gestalt IT http://storagemojo.com/2009/11/17/consolidated-io-for-virtual-data-centers/comment-page-1/#comment-206700 What a Tech Field Day! – Gestalt IT Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:39:57 +0000 http://storagemojo.com/?p=1699#comment-206700 [...] Consolidated I/O for virtual data centers [...] [...] Consolidated I/O for virtual data centers [...]

]]> By: Jason http://storagemojo.com/2009/11/17/consolidated-io-for-virtual-data-centers/comment-page-1/#comment-206698 Jason Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:32:02 +0000 http://storagemojo.com/?p=1699#comment-206698 Like HP (if JD is right above), Cisco has a product coming for their UCS platform that does basically the same thing. Riding DCE (CEE, whatever), you can carve out vHBA's and vNIC's which follow the VM around. It's VMWare only (and will be, for the foreseeable future), but it is something. --Jason (It's also Cisco exclusive, so there's that too) Like HP (if JD is right above), Cisco has a product coming for their UCS platform that does basically the same thing. Riding DCE (CEE, whatever), you can carve out vHBA’s and vNIC’s which follow the VM around. It’s VMWare only (and will be, for the foreseeable future), but it is something.

–Jason (It’s also Cisco exclusive, so there’s that too)

]]> By: JD http://storagemojo.com/2009/11/17/consolidated-io-for-virtual-data-centers/comment-page-1/#comment-206669 JD Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:42:34 +0000 http://storagemojo.com/?p=1699#comment-206669 You asked what competitors this product has. Isn't HP's virtual connect and Flex10 technology a somewhat direct competitor? It's not exactly the same because it is tied to HP Blade servers, of course, but it performs similar functions for those servers. -J PS disclosure: I work at HP, but in the storageworks division; I am not connected to the Blade or virtual connect teams. PS2 Thanks for a great website--I read it often and always learn something new. You asked what competitors this product has. Isn’t HP’s virtual connect and Flex10 technology a somewhat direct competitor? It’s not exactly the same because it is tied to HP Blade servers, of course, but it performs similar functions for those servers.

-J

PS disclosure: I work at HP, but in the storageworks division; I am not connected to the Blade or virtual connect teams.
PS2 Thanks for a great website–I read it often and always learn something new.

]]> By: nomen http://storagemojo.com/2009/11/17/consolidated-io-for-virtual-data-centers/comment-page-1/#comment-206667 nomen Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:44:57 +0000 http://storagemojo.com/?p=1699#comment-206667 Check out Virtensys who do similar IO virtualisation to Xsigo except using PCI express: http://www.virtensys.com/ Check out Virtensys who do similar IO virtualisation to Xsigo except using PCI express:

http://www.virtensys.com/

]]> By: nomen http://storagemojo.com/2009/11/17/consolidated-io-for-virtual-data-centers/comment-page-1/#comment-206659 nomen Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:17:29 +0000 http://storagemojo.com/?p=1699#comment-206659 Here is the Xsigo compatability matrix - they seem to support a range of IB adapters (Mellanox, Voltaire, IBM, Cisco, HP) and blade chassis IB swicth modules. I assume they must have custom drivers for all of these: http://www.xsigo.com/_downloads/Spec_sheet/interoperability.pdf Operating system support seems to be limited to Novell Linux, RHEL (XEN is mentioned too), VMware, and Windows 2003 + 2008 Here is the Xsigo compatability matrix – they seem to support a range of IB adapters (Mellanox, Voltaire, IBM, Cisco, HP) and blade chassis IB swicth modules. I assume they must have custom drivers for all of these:

http://www.xsigo.com/_downloads/Spec_sheet/interoperability.pdf

Operating system support seems to be limited to Novell Linux, RHEL (XEN is mentioned too), VMware, and Windows 2003 + 2008

]]> By: Robin Harris http://storagemojo.com/2009/11/17/consolidated-io-for-virtual-data-centers/comment-page-1/#comment-206653 Robin Harris Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:34:25 +0000 http://storagemojo.com/?p=1699#comment-206653 I *think* Xsigo relies on Mellanox for Infiniband adapters and driver support, and the Mellanox site says "RHEL, SLES, Windows, HPUX, ESX3.5" support. Blake, I mentioned Hyper-V, but it isn't clear to me that Xsigo supports it today. But at the rate Hyper-V is gaining share it is a good bet that they - or Mellanox - will do so in good time. Robin I *think* Xsigo relies on Mellanox for Infiniband adapters and driver support, and the Mellanox site says “RHEL, SLES, Windows, HPUX, ESX3.5″ support.

Blake, I mentioned Hyper-V, but it isn’t clear to me that Xsigo supports it today. But at the rate Hyper-V is gaining share it is a good bet that they – or Mellanox – will do so in good time.

Robin

]]> By: TimC http://storagemojo.com/2009/11/17/consolidated-io-for-virtual-data-centers/comment-page-1/#comment-206652 TimC Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:14:27 +0000 http://storagemojo.com/?p=1699#comment-206652 So the two questions/issues I had were: Are they using standard IB adapters in the hosts, or are they special Xsigo adapters? Do they require a host based driver to function? If so, what operating systems are supported today? So the two questions/issues I had were:
Are they using standard IB adapters in the hosts, or are they special Xsigo adapters?

Do they require a host based driver to function? If so, what operating systems are supported today?

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