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How to Choose the Right IFM for Your Cisco UCS X9508 Chassis: 25G vs 100G

When designing a Cisco UCS environment bandwidth is one of the many variables to consider. The Intelligent Fabric Module (IFM) is critical to the I/O speed of the system. This article will look at the role of the IFM and sizing considerations.

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In today's rapidly evolving data center landscape, Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) has stood the test of time as a resilient and high-performance solution. At the heart of this system is the Cisco UCS X9508 chassis, a versatile and robust platform designed to meet the demands of modern data centers. Let's explore the characteristics of the UCS X9508 chassis and offer a guide through the decision-making process of selecting the ideal Intelligent Fabric Module (IFM) to optimize an organization's data center connectivity.

 The Cisco UCS X9508 Chassis: A Closer Look

The Cisco UCS X9508 chassis is a powerhouse designed for data centers that demand high-performance computing and networking capabilities. The following list highlights some of it's most appealing characteristics:

  • Scalability: The X9508 chassis provides an impressive level of scalability. With support for multiple compute nodes, the X9508 can accommodate a growing workload without compromising performance.
     
  • Unified Fabric: One of the standout features of the X9508 chassis is its support for unified fabric. This means that both LAN and SAN traffic can be consolidated onto a single, high-speed fabric, reducing the complexity of network infrastructure and saving on operating expenses.
     
  • Management Simplicity: Cisco Intersight management ensures that all elements connected to the interconnects participate in a single, highly available management domain. This simplifies operations, making it easier to monitor and manage your data center resources.
     
  • Power Efficiency: The X9508 chassis is designed to be power-efficient, helping you reduce operational costs while maintaining top-notch performance.
     
  • Quality of Service (QoS): The systemwide bandwidth management and Priority Flow Control (PFC) capabilities enable consistent and coherent QoS throughout the system, ensuring optimized application performance.
     
  • Scales Without Complexity: The X9508 chassis can scale without adding complexity, eliminating the need for dedicated chassis management and compute nodes. This scalability makes it an ideal choice for growing data centers.

 Cisco UCS 6536 Fabric Interconnect: Best for the 100GbE IFM

To maximize the potential of the Cisco UCS X9508 chassis, customers need the right connectivity backbone. Enter the Cisco UCS 6536 Fabric Interconnect (FI). This critical component serves as the bridge between an organization's compute nodes and the broader data center network. Here's why the 6536 Fabric Interconnect is important:

  • High-Speed Connectivity: The Cisco UCS 6536 FI offers line-rate, low-latency, lossless 10/25/40/100 Gigabit Ethernet, Fibre Channel, NVMe over Fabric, and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) functions. This ensures that the data center stays well-connected and responsive.
     
  • Unified Fabric: With the 6536 FI, both LAN and SAN connectivity for all servers within its domain are unified. This not only simplifies the network architecture but also reduces the total cost of ownership (TCO) by minimizing the need for additional network infrastructure.
     
  • Scalability: The 6536 FI is built to scale, supporting a wide range of Cisco UCS hardware, including compute nodes, chassis, and rack servers. As a data center evolves and grows, this scalability ensures that the increasing demands are met effortlessly.

 Cisco UCS 6454 and 64108 Fabric Interconnect: Best for the 25GbE IFM

In addition to the 6536 FI, Cisco offers the UCS 6454 and 64108 Fabric Interconnects as an alternative connectivity option in the data center. Here is what is important to know about the 6454 FI:

  • High-Speed Connectivity: The UCS 6454 and 64108 FI also provide line-rate, low-latency, lossless 10/25/40/100 Gigabit Ethernet, Fibre Channel, NVMe over Fabric, and FCoE capabilities. It's designed to meet the demanding networking needs of modern data centers.
     
  • Unified Fabric: Like the 6536 FI, the 6454 FI supports unified fabric, enabling the consolidation of LAN and SAN traffic efficiently. This reduces complexity and improves cost-effectiveness.
     
  • Scalability: The 6454 and 64108 FI offer two different port densities allowing for more flexible ways to scale the deployment.

 Choosing the Right IFM: 25G vs 100G

In considering the Cisco UCS X9508 chassis for an organization's data center, it is imperative to choose the appropriate Intelligent Fabric Module (IFM). The IFM acts as the bridge between the compute nodes and the fabric interconnect, simplifying diagnostics, cabling, and management. Cisco offers two IFM options: the 25G IFM and the 100G IFM. Let's compare and contrast these options:

25G IFM:

  • Server Data Path Bandwidth: The IFM internally provides 4 x 25 Gbps connections toward each UCS compute Node in the Cisco X9508 chassis.
  • Network Data Path Bandwidth: There are 8 x SFP28 external connectors on an IFM to interface with a FI 6400 series Fabric Interconnect.
  • CPU Complex: Features an Intel Atom® Processor C3558 (4 core, 2.1GHz, 15W).
  • Power Consumption: Requires 237W.
  • Transceivers: Supports 25 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity using Cisco 25 Gbps modules.

100G IFM:

  • Server Data Path Bandwidth: The IFM internally provides 1 x 100G or 4 x 25G connections toward each UCS Compute Node in the Cisco X9508 chassis.
  • Network Data Path Bandwidth: There are 8 x QSFP28 external connectors on an IFM to interface with a Cisco UCS 6536 Fabric Interconnect.
  • CPU Complex: Features an Intel Denverton Processor (4 core, 2.2GHz, 15W).
  • Power Consumption: Requires 274W.
  • Transceivers: Supports 100 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity using Cisco 100 Gbps modules.

 Making the Right Decision

Consideration of Bandwidth Needs: If a data center requires extremely high bandwidth, the 100G IFM and 6536 FI might be the better choice due to its support for 100 Gigabit Ethernet. However, if 25G bandwidth is sufficient, the 25G IFM and 6400 FI can be a cost-effective solution.

  • Power Efficiency: The 25G IFM consumes less power (237W) compared to the 100G IFM (274W). This could impact the decision making process if energy efficiency is a priority.
     
  • Budget: While the 25G IFM is typically more budget-friendly, the 100G IFM offers higher bandwidth but at a slightly higher cost. Evaluation of budget constraints is essential.

The Cisco UCS X9508 chassis combined with the 6536, 6454, or 64108 Fabric Interconnects is a formidable choice for modern data centers. The choice of IFM depends on the specific bandwidth requirements of an organization, power considerations, and budget constraints. Both the 25G and 100G IFMs offer excellent performance and features, ensuring a data center remains efficient, scalable, and well-connected for years to come. If opting for the 100G IFM, don't forget to pair it with the appropriate Cisco Fabric Interconnect for seamless integration and optimal performance.

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