Bandwidth Goes Big With 10-Gigabit

This is where the solution provider performs a thorough network assessment. Even if the business needs discussion has identified the applications and equipment that will be affected, it is still important to do a full top-down network assessment, said Ludwig. This way, missing and hidden equipment can be identified, and the solution provider gets an idea of how various components are cabled together and where everything goes.

Looking at the entire network, solution providers can help customers figure out if remote closets will be upgraded to 10G eventually, or if the upgrade will just focus on the core, said Ludwig.

If there are duplicate data centers that are far apart, the assessment needs to consider how they would be linked. The site evaluation would also pinpoint SAN solutions, such as from EMC or Network Appliance, using Fibre Channel that would connect to a 10G switch, said Ludwig.

The assessment may include a site survey, interviews with data center technicians and developing business cases. A ROI study or a price assessment is also helpful at this stage in bridging the gap between what the customer needs and what the network can handle. Solution providers study the current network utilization to determine the network's current traffic and usage loads. Various modeling tools can help estimate future loads based on business needs and expected user size. NWN creates simulations based on the customer's network current usage to discover patterns that can be applied in capacity planning.

There are three layers of assessment.

Layer 1 addresses the basic question: cabling and the mode to be used. Copper is preferable to fiber because it takes advantage of existing infrastructure and it is easier to run, but Ludwig points out there are distance limitations. While fiber has more complexity, 10G Ethernet over fiber can go up to 40 kilometers, as opposed to 10GbaseT over copper extending up to 55 meters over a Cat6 cable. The actual distance can vary slightly depending on if multimode is chosen. Some vendors offer proprietary (and even more expensive) optics that can cover distances of 80 to 100 kilometers.

Layer 2 looks at the existing switches and routers that are in place. The assessment considers whether the switches can be upgraded or if they would need to be replaced. Perhaps a simple firmware upgrade would suffice and not require a brand-new unit. "If they have a chassis switch, maybe we can just add a supervisor blade," said Ludwig. The site survey will also identify if the customer already has a blade.

Finally, the solution provider needs to consider the physical space. With new switches coming in and possibly new devices as well, the solution provider should consider the existing power system. The power unit could be upgraded or it could be made redundant to ensure sufficient supply. In addition, a thermal needs assessment and heat analysis would identify necessary changes to the heating and cooling systems.

While this may seem like common sense, rack space is an important thing to consider at this time. As Ludwig pointed out, some customers like to test the new switches in parallel with the existing ones, so additional rack space is an important consideration. Depending on the network's complexity, the assessment could last anywhere from two to three months.

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