Brocade is positioning the MLXe router for large-scale service provider "Supercore" networks and Internet data center cores requiring high port density, scalable MPLS, rich routing and deep buffering capabilities. The platform can be used to create highly scalable BGP-free MPLS "Supercore" networks optimized for high-speed transport and fast convergence. Brocade said that by reducing the number of devices and eliminating IP routing from the core of the network, providers can greatly simplify their architectures and reduce both capital expenditure and operational costs.
The Brocade solution is powered by its fourth generation MaxScale-160 Packet Processors, which pack 1.38 billion transistors using 45nm technology. The router's 10 GbE density can be coupled with Brocade 100 GbE technology to drive next gen core networks.
Brocade is also working to integrate SDN and OpenFlow in the MLXe to control individual traffic flows up to 100 Gbps. The company said this will maximize network resource utilization and improve traffic control to deliver differentiated SLAs.
For large data centers operators, the 768-port density achieved with the new 24-port 10 GbE module enables consolidation at the core of the network. The Brocade MLXe router delivers advanced Layer 3 switching capabilities and full-feature support for access control, routing and forwarding with 64-port Link Aggregation (LAG) capacity. The platform complements Brocade VCS Fabric technology running on the family of Brocade VDX switches in the access and aggregation layers.
Significantly, Brocade is offering support for OpenFlow in Hybrid Mode, enabling the 10 GbE and 100 GbE Brocade MLXe solutions to integrate SDN with existing IP/MPLS networks .Brocade ADX platforms are also optimized for SDN, providing an application services fabric with a unified control plane and an API for resource assignment, enabling customized orchestration and provisioning of both physical and logical resources."Network operators are challenged to scale their networks and manage increasing complexity -- with more routers, more subnets and massive dynamic flows," said Ken Cheng, vice president of Service Provider and Application Delivery Products at Brocade. "The Brocade MLXe Core Router with the new 24-port 10 GbE module and industry-leading SDN technology will enable them to significantly scale their core networks to do more while greatly reducing network complexity and cost."
Brocade also released new OS software for its ADX Application Delivery Switches, delivering a new multitenancy capability. This carrier-grade multitenant architecture isolates customers or applications with dedicated hardware allocation of application delivery resources. A Brocade Network Subscription capacity-on-demand subscription model that aligns infrastructure cost to business needs, gives providers a highly elastic infrastructure acquisition and deployment model that matches the way they deliver cloud services.
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- In May 2011, Brocade first introduced its MLXe, featuring a 15.36 Terabits per second (Tbps) fabric for core networks. The Brocade MLXe router is offered in 4-, 8-, 16- and 32-slot configurations. Brocade also introduced a Multi-Chassis Trunk (MCT) innovation to simplify data center networks and increase resiliency for customers moving to 10 GbE-enabled servers. In addition, a new Brocade Network Advisor management solution provides visibility for Brocade Fibre Channel, Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), wireless, Ethernet switching, and MPLS networks.
