QLogic 100G Adapters Connect Servers in SCinet

By Nishant Lodha, Technical Product Marketing Manager, QLogic

a product marketing manager, I’d be lying if I said I felt equal to those I worked alongside at the SC15 event last month in Austin. We’re talking cerebral-types, like energy physicists, postdoctoral researchers, computer scientists and engineers from the international supercomputing community.

However, I’m proud to say that QLogic’s FastLinQ 100Gb Intelligent Ethernet Adapter technology absolutely was a peer to the products it worked alongside at SC15. And we’re talking solutions from Brocade, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Dell, EchoStreams, Intel, Stanford University and the University of Michigan, among others, who showcased large data flow transfers across a highly intelligent Software-Defined Networking (SDN) OpenFlow ring.

The SC event is the international conference for high performance computing (HPC), networking, storage and analysis. QLogic 100Gb Ethernet (100GbE) Adapters were selected to be part of the SCinet Network Research Exhibition (NRE) demonstration at SC15 to help connect the Austin Convention Center to research and commercial networks around the world.

What does that really mean? QLogic technology was used to fuel one of the fastest and most innovative operational networks in the world, delivering more than 1.6 terabits per second of network bandwidth to the SC conference.

 

Both remote and local participants generated traffic on the SDN ring. Graphic courtesy of Caltech.

10 QLogic 100GbE Adapters powered The SDN ring. The touchpoints are identified above by the QLogic logo.

This was the first time QLogic technology has been a part of SCinet, and for the record, it’s a big deal. It has validated our Ethernet platform, leveraged and strengthened relationships with research and academia and established our Ethernet technology leadership before an international audience.

The following pictures from SC15 illustrate a solid presence of QLogic branding on the show floor.

A Showcase for Software-Defined Networking

SC15 was a stimulating event for QLogic and its partners because it’s a network test bed of emerging network hardware, protocols and strategic technology that stretch the boundaries of High Performance Networks, such as SDN.

QLogic FastLinQ Intelligent Ethernet Adapters are primed for SDN, and the SCinet demo was clearly a respectable endorsement! In a network running at 100Gb per second (100Gbps), or even 10/25/50Gbps, the need to apply programmability at the I/O system level is critical. By enabling accurate network control, SDN helps application owners and network operators customize network software to meet their needs.

Academic and research institutions representing the majority of SC15 participants are early adopters of SDN, so the success of this demo was critical, and a success it was.

The invitation to join the innovators at SC15 provided us with a never-before-seen opportunity and unparalleled platform to showcase QLogic’s high performing and reliable Ethernet adapter technology. What’s in store for next year at SC16? I’m excited to find out, and eager to rub shoulders with more highbrowed scientists, physicists and researchers who continue to keep all of us in network computing on our high-tech toes.

Tags: QLogic, SC15, SCinet

Category: News