Next-generation Data Center Core Switches

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.

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.

Service (application)

driving forces

Cloud Computing

Scalability Multi-service Integration

High Reliability

Application virtualization

Fast expansion of data centers (scale up and scale out)

Ethernet, SAN, and high-speed computing

Core services on IT platforms, cluster systems

Technical (vendor) driving forces

Network adaptation to virtualization

Innovation in high-performance hardware-platforms + control protocols

Everything over Ethernet (requiring10GE – 100GE access)

ISSU, micro kernel, distributed network

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

More accessible servers, higher accessibility, and higher throughput

Scalable large L2 network to support VM migration

Modular scaling for data center networks, for easier network deployment, maintenance and management

Matching technology

Higher-performance hardware

New protocols and hardware components

Pod-based network design

Chips with higher processing capabilities, interfaces with higher speeds (40GE/100GE), and network devices with higher port densities

New L2 protocol TRILL (VLAN anywhere but not every where), and L2 interconnection between data centers

New data center network design fulfilling network requirements for scale up and scale out

2. Virtualization capabilities

Usage Scenario

To simplify network topology and facilitate network maintenance

To implement resource sharing and flexible resource allocation

To support migration of VMs and detection VMs

Matching technology

Two (multi)-node cluster

Virtual switch 802.1BR, 802.1Qbg, out-of-band NMS

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.

Virtual switch technology helps faster network deployment and improves efficiency of resource utilization, including equipment rooms, power supply systems, and line cards.

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

3. Support for multi-service integration and network convergence

Usage Scenario

For complex network services

For integration of traditional services

For network convergence

Multi-tenant, mobile IP, VPN, etc.

Integration of firewall, network analysis, and load balancing services

Convergence of traditional FC network and HPC network with Ethernet networks

Matching technology

New protocols and chips (VPN technologies, VxLAN/NvGRE, IPv6, and so on)

Integrated service line cards

Everything Over Ethernet

New chips have higher processing capabilities and can process complex 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

l 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.

l 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.

l 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 solutions for L2 VM migration between data centers.

2. Separate network virtualization and service virtualization

l Services and applications become more flexible and dynamic after service

virtualization.

l 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

l 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.

l 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.

l 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

l 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.

l For customers, using the same hardware platform for data center and campus

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.

l 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

l 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.

l New switches use more power because they use complex, high-frequency

chips to provide complex services.

l 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.

Huawei’s 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:

CE12812 CE12808 CE12804

1. Scalable network: higher scalability

l 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.

l 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

l 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.

l To respond to changes in virtualized services, many devices, including load

balancing devices and WAN routers, need to adjust their configurations. The

configuration adjustment may even involve multiple data centers.

l 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

l Huawei supports Openflow, OpenStack, and SDN technologies.

l 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

l Huawei’s 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.

l Physical coupling of core nodes helps customers realize uniform

management and deployment of services and a simplified operations and

maintenance, which reduces a customer’s capital and operating expenditures.

5. Environmentally-friendly design: build a green data center

l 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.

l 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

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

Huawei’s 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. The

CE12800 series offer core switches for future-oriented data centers.