Implementing IBM System Networking 10Gb Ethernet Switches

In today’s infrastructure, it is common to build networks based on 10 Gb Ethernet technology. The IBM® portfolio of 10 Gb systems networking products includes Top-of-Rack switches, and the embedded switches in the IBM BladeCenter® family. In 2010, IBM formed the IBM System Networking business (by acquiring BLADE Network Technologies), which is now focused on driving data center networking by using the latest Ethernet technologies.

The main focus of this IBM Redbooks® publication is on the IBM System Networking 10Gb Switch Modules, which include both embedded and Top-of-Rack (TOR) models. After reading this book, you can perform basic to advanced configurations of IBM System Networking 10Gb Switch Modules.

In this publication, we introduce the various 10 Gb switch models that are available today and then describe in detail the features that are applicable to these switches.

We then present two architectures that use these 10 Gb switches, which are used throughout this book. These designs are based on preferred practices and the experience of authors of this book. Our intention is to show the configuration of the different features that are available with IBM System Networking 10Gb Switch Modules. We follow the three-tier Data Center design, focusing on the Access and Aggregation Layers, because those layers are the layers that IBM System Networking Switches use.