Dell has announced expansions to its networking portfolio to address growing complexities in campus networking and skyrocketing bandwidth demands in the data centre.
For the campus, Dell introduced a new unified-campus architecture powered by the new Dell Networking C9010 Network Director switch and companion C1048P Rapid Access Node. In the data centre, Dell debuted the Dell Networking S6100-ON, combining multi-rate connectivity, modularity, and open networking to deliver unparalleled in-rack networking flexibility.
“At Dell, we’re taking a holistic, end-to-end approach to networking from connecting server storage and workloads together in the data centre to connecting desktops and mobile devices in the campus,” says Francois Smith, Dell Enterprise lead for South Africa. “We’re excited about these new products and capabilities and the new levels of simplicity and flexibility to help our customers become future ready.
Designed for mid- to large-scale campus environments seeking improved scalability combined with simplified management, the new Dell unified-campus architecture provides a single management view for the entire campus from access to core. This provides a single point of control for quality of service, policy provisioning and software upgrades, as well as for programming software-defined attributes. Additionally, through the use of industry-standard protocols, the new Dell campus architecture can be jumpstarted using existing Dell campus investments by re-deploying Dell Networking N-series switches as access nodes.
The new Dell Networking C9010 Network Director is a next-generation multi-rate capable modular switch and is the first platform based on the new Dell campus network architecture. It delivers optimum scalability for up to 4,000 virtual ports managed centrally, a lifetime of flexibility with support for 10Gb and 40Gb Ethernet today, and a tool-free upgrade to 100GbE in the future to meet the growing bandwidth requirements of a diverse campus of end-users and end-points. For initial deployments, the C9010 can be deployed as a traditional campus switching platform without the Dell Networking C1048P Rapid Access Node, serving to aggregate legacy switching platforms in wiring closets.
The real power of the C9010, however, comes when paired with the C1048P Rapid Access Node to deliver new levels of simplicity and scalability in the campus. The Dell Networking C1048P extends the capabilities of the C9010 Network Director by providing enhanced power over Ethernet well as user access and connectivity back to the C9010. The C1048P can be deployed either stand-alone or in a stacked configuration, and can be introduced at any time to the new architecture, greatly simplifying ongoing maintenance and operation. For enhanced investment protection, Dell N-series switches within current customer environments can also become access nodes via a software download shortly after launch.
As the latest addition to the S-Series family of data centre switches, the Dell Networking S6100-ON combines multi-rate connectivity with chassis-level modularity and open networking perfect for data centre operators seeking maximum flexibility and control in the rack. Through multiple expansion modules, customers have the flexibility to deliver various combinations of port speeds ranging from 10 – 100 GbE with both QSFP28 and CXP port choices for flexibility in deployment. With its increased density, performance, flexibility and simplified management, the Dell S6100-ON is ideal for virtualisation, cloud and big data analytics environments—all foundational elements for the future-ready enterprise.