Brocade Collaborates with Intel to Deliver

Brocade Collaborates with Intel to Deliver
Fibre Channel over Ethernet Solutions
Brocade FCoE technology to utilize high-performance Intel hardware as foundation for new
FCoE capabilities  
 
Brocade® (Nasdaq: BRCD), the leader in data center networking solutions that help enterprises connect and manage their information, announced today that it will be working with Intel Corporation to deliver next-generation server adapters for evolving data center networks.  Brocade will provide its storage networking software technology and expertise, along with Intel’s 10 Gigabit Enhanced Ethernet server adapter hardware, to deliver high-performance Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) server connectivity. Today’s announcement further advances the Brocade Data Center Fabric (DCF) architecture for high performance, multiprotocol data center networks.  
 
The Brocade approach will provide customers with a new server connectivity option to seamlessly protect and extend their current investments in Storage Area Networks (SANs). The evolving FCoE standard is currently being worked on and supported by more than 15 Fibre Channel Industry Association (FCIA) members, including Brocade.  FCoE offers a new choice for consolidated server I/O connectivity in the data center, which will result in a greater quantity of servers having access to the well-understood benefits of storage networks.  Customer benefits of this technology will include:
• Seamless extension and protection of existing storage investments
• Lower, long-term operating costs via consolidated connectivity and management
• A management model consistent with that used in today’s SANs
• A unified data center fabric that meets the reliability, latency, and performance requirements for storage and broader data center connectivity
• Additional server connectivity options for more cost-effective data center networking 
• A reduction in multiple server I/O and parallel network infrastructure commonly used in data centers
The FCoE standard is currently being worked on in the INCITS Fibre Channel (T11) Technical Committee and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2008. Additional information on FCoE is available on the T11 Web site at www.t11.org. 
 
“Our collaboration with Intel brings together Brocade’s expertise in Fibre Channel with Intel’s strength in Ethernet adapters to enable the consolidation of server I/O into a unified data center fabric,” said Madhu Matta, Vice President of the Brocade Server Connectivity Division.  “The solution will give our customers a choice to enable greater consolidation of server connectivity while preserving the benefits of their current storage networking and data center infrastructure.”
 
 “Intel believes that unified fabric over Ethernet will further simplify the virtualized data center,” said Tom Swinford, General Manager of Intel’s LAN Access Division. “The enhanced Ethernet features in Intel’s 10 Gigabit Ethernet adapters will help enable Brocade’s solution to provide the reliable, high-performance server connectivity that our LAN and SAN customers are seeking.”
 
The products and technology resulting from this collaboration will be available in early 2009. 
 
About Brocade
Brocade is a leading provider of data center networking solutions that help organizations connect, share, and manage their information in the most efficient manner. Organizations that use Brocade products and services are better able to optimize their IT infrastructures and ensure compliant data management. For more information, visit the Brocade Web site at www.brocade.com or contact the company at info@brocade.com.