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NEC Targets Big Datacenters with SDN-Compatible Switches
NEC Corp. today announced two new switches ready for software-defined networking (SDN) applications in big datacenters run by telecommunications carriers and service providers.
NEC said the switches "enable network configurations equivalent to several thousand server racks."
The PF5340-48XP-6Q is a Top of Rack (ToR) switch featuring a 48-port 10GbE interface for consolidating servers in racks, while the PF5340-32QP is an aggregation switch with 32 40GbE ports that is used to consolidate multiple racks topped off with the PF5340-48XP-6Q or other ToR switches.
When used with an SDN controller, NEC said, they facilitate a scalable, cost-efficient datacenter network based on SDN technologies.
"SDN is one of the core areas NEC is focusing on in its Social Solutions Business, and to date NEC has amassed a track record of more than 250 system installations across the globe," said exec Toshio Suzuki. "These new switches help resolve issues faced when increasing the size of datacenters, among them the complexity of operation and difficulties in expansion."
The switches expand on NEC's SDN-related initiatives, such as its ProgrammableFlow Networking Suite, introduced in 2011 and described as the first commercially available offering to use the SDN OpenFlow protocol. Last fall, the company introduced a pay-as-you-go pricing plan for the suite. It also introduced a ProgrammableFlow SDN Starter Pack at a $3,000 starting price.
[Click on image for larger view.]
The PF5340-48XP-6Q ToR Switch (left) and PF5340-32QP Aggregation Switch (right). (source: NEC Corp.)
No pricing information was provided for the new SDN-compatible switches, though, as they're not yet even featured on the company's Web site.
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David Ramel is an editor and writer at Converge 360.