Next-generation Data Center Core Switches

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Next-generation Data Center Core Switches

By Mark Wu

Introduction
Since the introduction of cloud computing technology in 2006, it has developed so rapidly that almost all enterprise IT services have migrated, or are in the process of migrating, to cloud-computing platforms.

Data centers are seeing an annual growth rate of over 40% in network devices. Among all network devices in a data center, core switches are the key nodes in the architecture of the entire cloud-computing network.

The reasons behind the development of Data Center Core Switches

The development of data center core switches can be attributed to many factors. The primary driving force is the revolutionary transition from the client/server traffic model to the server/server traffic model. During this transition, Incast and multicast traffic models are more widely used on networks than previous unicast traffic models.
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As more and more core enterprise services migrate to IT platforms, enterprises are increasing their spend on IT system construction. Development of data center technologies, such as large-scale server clusters, virtualization, and big data, also bring higher requirements for data center networks. Cloud Computing Scalability Multi-service Integration Ethernet, SAN, and high-speed computing Everything over Ethernet (requiring10GE 100GE access) High Reliability Core services on IT platforms, cluster systems ISSU, micro kernel, distributed network

Service (application) Fast expansion of driving Application data centers (scale up forces virtualization and scale out) Technical (vendor) driving forces Innovation in Network high-performance adaptation to hardware-platforms + virtualization control protocols

The preceding table shows that the key to the success of data center switches is to combine service requirements with mature technologies. Huawei follows this principle when developing next-generation data center core switches.

Characteristics of Current Data Center Core Switches

Currently, the data center core switches of mainstream vendors have the following characteristics: 1. High scalability Usage Scenario
For rapid expansion of data centers For VM migration For more flexible network architecture scaling

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More accessible servers, higher accessibility, and higher throughput Higher-performance hardware Chips with higher Matching processing technology capabilities, interfaces with higher speeds (40GE/100GE), and network devices with higher port densities

Scalable large L2 network to support VM migration New protocols and hardware components New L2 protocol TRILL (VLAN anywhere but not every where), and L2 interconnection between data centers

Modular scaling for data center networks, for easier network deployment, maintenance and management Pod-based network design New data center network design fulfilling network requirements for scale up and scale out

2. Virtualization capabilities To simplify network topology and facilitate network maintenance Two (multi)-node cluster Well developed two-node cluster technology and two-node cluster solutions for mainstream vendors. Multi-node cluster technology is more difficult and is still under development. Matrix expansion and virtual stacking technologies used on access switches can also establish clusters. To implement resource sharing and flexible resource allocation Virtual switch Virtual switch technology helps faster network deployment and improves efficiency of resource utilization, including equipment rooms, power supply systems, and line cards. To support migration of VMs and detection VMs 802.1BR, 802.1Qbg, out-of-band NMS

Usage Scenario

Matching technology

All these technologies are currently under development, and major vendors have their own solutions. It is still uncertain which technology will become predominant.

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3. Support for multi-service integration and network convergence

For complex network services For integration of traditional services For network convergence

Usage Scenario

Multi-tenant, mobile IP, VPN, etc.

Integration of firewall, network analysis, and load balancing services Integrated service line cards

Convergence of traditional FC network and HPC network with Ethernet networks Everything Over Ethernet

New protocols and chips (VPN technologies, VxLAN/NvGRE, IPv6, and so on) New chips have higher processing capabilities and can Matching process complex technology services. Mainstream vendors have just started the development of new chips, and none of these chips are widely used.

Complex services cannot be integrated on ASIC. Therefore, these services are integrated into one single device by using integrated service line cards.

New technologies, such as 10GE access and DCB, enable data from heterogeneous networks to be transmitted over Ethernet, for example, FCoE and RDMAoE.

Deficiencies of Current Data Center Core Switches

Although data center core switches have made many breakthroughs in services and technologies, they still have the following deficiencies: 1. Insufficient network scalability At present, very few data center core switches can provide scalability that supports network expansion for the next five to 10 years. This is because the device architecture cannot keep pace with the rapid network expansion. Server virtualization also brings great demand in L2 data switching. However, L2 networks and nodes are not very scalable due to defects of the L2 networks.

Traditional L2 protocols, such as STP, only solve the problem of L2 loops and do not determine how to establish a large L2 network. There are still no mature

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solutions for L2 VM migration between data centers. 2. Separate network virtualization and service virtualization Services and applications become more flexible and dynamic after service virtualization. It is a big challenge for virtual networks to dynamically change configurations and deployments to adapt to changes in services and applications. 3. Insufficient openness to network behavior As network application environments become more complex, many customers want to customize their own network behaviors. However, customer networks have their own characteristics and requirements, and standard devices cannot meet the special requirements of all customers. To address this problem, some vendors have introduced the idea of using open standard interfaces to control network behavior. Openflow, OpenStack, and SDN technologies were developed following this idea. They share network control details with external applications to support the customization of network behavior. Although these technologies still need improvement and have not been widely used on network devices, these technologies may be the way of the future. Other than technologies that separate service control from forwarding, customization of network behavior can also be implemented through APIs provided by network devices or through middleware provided by an open platform. The need for network behavior customization cannot be ignored regardless of the technology used. 4. Duplicate investment on core switches of data centers and campus networks Separate core switches for data centers and campus networks ensure network security. However, deploying two groups of core switches increases investment on physical devices and raises costs of device management and maintenance. For customers, using the same hardware platform for data center and campus
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network services allows the implementation of uniform service management and the facilitation of network deployment, operation, and maintenance. The core of the data center and campus network are physically coupled through virtual switch technology. Technically, it is an inevitable trend for a data center and campus network to share the same group of core switches. 5. High electricity costs

New core switches use more power than old core switches. Traditional power supply systems in the data center equipment rooms cannot meet the requirements of these new switches. High power consumption results in high temperatures, which may degrade the reliability of the device.

New switches use more power because they use complex, high-frequency chips to provide complex services.

Therefore, it is important to reduce the power consumption of data center core switches. Energy-saving core switches improve device reliability, save energy, and have lower requirements for data center equipment rooms.

Huaweis Next-generation Data Center Core Switches

Huawei is dedicated to offering competitive data center core switches and data center network solutions for customers around the world. Huawei has developed the CloudEngine 12800 series, its next-generation data center core switches, which provide the following features to meet service requirements of customers in the cloud-computing era:

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CE12812

CE12808

CE12804

1. Scalable network: higher scalability By 2012, the largest switching capacity of a data center core switch will be 480 Gbps per slot because the maximum capacity of a switch panel is 48 x 10GE. If the expected service life of a core switch is five years, the switch

must support a bandwidth upgrade to at least eight times the current bandwidth. That is, the switching capacity must increase to about 4 Tbps per slot in five years. Huawei CE12800 supports standard Layer 2 protocols, such as TRILL, used to build large Layer 2 networks. In addition, the Layer 2 TRILL network can seamlessly connect to standard IP networks, allowing customers to flexibly deploy services on a large network. 2. Virtual network: close coupling of application and network In-band protocols between server network adapters and network devices can quickly detect the migration of a large number of VMs, and network devices can also respond to VM migration. However, this is not enough for cloud-computing applications. To respond to changes in virtualized services, many devices, including load balancing devices and WAN routers, need to adjust their configurations. The
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configuration adjustment may even involve multiple data centers. Therefore, network virtualization needs to be closely coupled with service changes using out-of-band network management interfaces. Inbound protocols can combine with out-of-band network management interfaces to implement end-to-end virtualization. 3. Open network: comprehensive customization capabilities Huawei supports Openflow, OpenStack, and SDN technologies. Huawei also provides open service platforms with standard APIs or middleware to overcome defects in standard protocols. An open service platform allows customers to quickly deploy their own network services. 4. Resource-sharing: one group of core switches for data centers and campus networks Huaweis CE12800 supports virtual switch technology, which can virtualize a single switch into a maximum of eight local switches (the number will increase to 16 in the future). The excellent forwarding performance of the CE12800 will provide an integrated service platform supporting both data center services and campus network services. Physical coupling of core nodes helps customers realize uniform management and deployment of services and a simplified operations and maintenance, which reduces a customers capital and operating expenditures. 5. Environmentally-friendly design: build a green data center Huawei's next-generation data center switches are installed with

energy-saving ASIC chips and transceivers and offer the industry's most efficient digital power modules. Power consumption of key components can be adjusted based on traffic volume, which reduces power consumption per unit of transmission speed.

Expanding the service life of network devices is an effective way to protect the environment because abandoning a core switch would result in high carbon emissions, which is much more costly than the power fees of a core

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switch. Huawei's next-generation data center switches support a capacity upgrade to at least eight times the current capacity. This scalability can support a service life of up to five to 10 years, saving resources and protecting customer investment.

Huawei CE12800: Next-generation Data Center Core Switches

Huaweis CE12800 series of are designed for cloud-computing data centers and super-large virtualized data center networks. The CE12800 has high bandwidth scalability and is capable of upgrading bandwidth from 1 Tbps to 4 Tbps per slot. Compared with other core switches, CE12800 is highly competitive in terms of its scalability, virtualization, openness, usability, and energy efficiency. CE12800 series offer core switches for future-oriented data centers. The

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