NIC Virtualization in IBM Flex System Fabric Solutions

The deployment of server virtualization technologies in data centers requires significant efforts in providing sufficient network I/O bandwidth to satisfy the demand of virtualized applications and services. For example, every virtualized system can host several dozen applications and services. Each of these services requires certain bandwidth (or speed) to function properly.

Furthermore, because of different network traffic patterns that are relevant to different service types, these traffic flows can interfere with each other. They can lead to serious network problems, including the inability of the service to perform its functions.

The NIC virtualization in IBM® Flex System Fabric solutions addresses these issues. The solutions are based on the IBM Flex System® Enterprise Chassis with a 10 Gbps Converged Enhanced Ethernet infrastructure. This infrastructure is built on IBM Flex System Fabric CN4093 and EN4093R 10 Gbps Ethernet switch modules, and IBM Flex System Fabric SI4093 Switch Interconnect modules in the chassis and the Emulex Virtual Fabric Adapters in each compute node.

This IBM Redbooks® publication introduces NIC virtualization concepts and technologies, describes their deployment scenarios, and provides configuration examples that use IBM Networking OS technologies that are combined with the Emulex Virtual Fabric adapters.

This book is for IBM networking professionals, IBM BP networking professionals, client networking professionals, IBM Business Partner, and client networking professionals who want to learn how to implement NIC virtualization solutions and switch interconnect technologies on IBM Flex System by using the IBM Unified Fabric Port (UFP) mode, Switch Independent mode, and IBM Virtual Fabric mode.