Dell Force10 MXL Blade - Data Center Bridging (DCB); Ethernet Enhancements in Data Center Bridging

Data Center Bridging (DCB) | 113
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Data Center Bridging (DCB)
The data center bridging (DCB) features are supported on the MXL 10/40GbE Switch.
This chapter describes the following data center bridging topics:
• Ethernet Enhancements in Data Center Bridging
• Enabling Data Center Bridging
• Configuring Priority-Based Flow Control
• Configuring Enhanced Transmission Selection
• Applying DCB Policies in a Switch Stack
• Configuring DCBX Operation
• Verifying DCB Configuration
• PFC and ETS Configuration Examples
Ethernet Enhancements in Data Center Bridging
Data center bridging (DCB) refers to a set of IEEE Ethernet enhancements that provide data centers with a
single, robust, converged network to support multiple traffic types, including local area network (LAN),
server, and storage traffic. Through network consolidation, DCB results in reduced operational cost,
simplified management, and easy scalability by avoiding the need to deploy separate application-specific
networks.
For example, instead of deploying an Ethernet network for LAN traffic, additional storage area networks
(SANs) to ensure lossless fibre-channel traffic, and a separate InfiniBand network for high-performance
inter-processor computing within server clusters, only one DCB-enabled network is required in a data
center. The Dell Force10 switches that support a unified fabric and consolidate multiple network
infrastructures use a single input/output (I/O) device called a converged network adapter (CNA).
A CNA is a computer input/output device that combines the functionality of a host bus adapter (HBA) with
a network interface controller (NIC). Multiple adapters on different devices for several traffic types are no
longer required.