Broadcom's iSCSI Block Storage Over Ethernet Delivers the Highest Performance Level Per Gigabit of Network Bandwidth
C-NIC-Based iSCSI Host Bus Adapter Delivers 200,000 IOPS over Two Gigabit Ethernet Links, Enabling a Wider Range of Applications for iSCSI Technology
IRVINE, Calif., Nov 07, 2007 -- Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced that its iSCSI host bus adapter (HBA) functionality, integrated in NetXtreme® II converged network interface controllers (C-NICs), delivers a new performance benchmark that far surpasses the performance of all networked storage technologies per Gigabit per second of network bandwidth. Broadcom's iSCSI HBA technology provides nearly 200,000 input/output operations per second (IOPS (1)) by utilizing two Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) links to deliver the industry's highest IOPS bandwidth, thus enabling a wider range of storage applications that can implement and benefit from iSCSI technology. Broadcom will demonstrate its iSCSI HBA technology at the company's annual Analyst Day on Thursday, November 8th.
The enterprise is well positioned to take advantage of iSCSI as it is built on top of the highly familiar TCP/IP and the ubiquity and effectiveness of Ethernet. By exploiting TCP/IP, iSCSI enables storage flexibility as it allows content on the server to be accessed using an Ethernet fabric. As a result, the server can either converge networking and storage on the same network while lowering the total cost of ownership (TCO), or it can use a dedicated network for data and for storage, thereby using the same equipment for multiple purposes.
Broadcom® iSCSI HBA functionality is included in single chip NetXtreme II C-NICs and will be standard on many servers shipping from leading OEMs. As a result, Broadcom NetXtreme II C-NICs are more cost effective than existing storage networking solutions that require an additional dedicated HBA adapter, and thereby, significantly lowers the total cost of ownership for iSCSI-based storage networks. The result is a higher performing storage network technology that is easier to deploy when compared with today's dedicated solutions.
"iSCSI is a key component of our NetXtreme II C-NIC technology that includes 1Gbps, 2.5Gbps, and 10Gbps speeds," said Vinod Lakhani, Senior Director and General Manager of Broadcom's High-Speed Controller line of business. "Broadcom's comprehensive C-NIC solution and unprecedented performance levels enable enterprise users to start using the technology today."
"HP ProLiant server customers have come to expect unmatched reliability and performance across our platform," said Greg Huff, Chief Technology Officer, Industry Standard Servers, HP. "On-chip iSCSI processing, combined with Broadcom's iSCSI HBA functionality, allows us to reach new levels of performance while helping to make storage deployment much more cost effective."
Broadcom NetXtreme II C-NICs enable a comprehensive feature rich, high-performance and high-availability iSCSI solution that lowers storage access cost and facilitates ease-of-use. The solution is integrated with the operating systems' framework for iSCSI including the integrated support for high availability. The NetXtreme II family of C-NICs also includes iSCSI boot functionality to enable diskless boot operations, and leverages a TCP/IP-based iSCSI infrastructure that supports both pre-boot and post-boot storage access needs.
NetXtreme II C-NIC Information
Broadcom's NetXtreme II GbE controller chips were the first controllers in the industry to enable storage networking, high performance clustering, accelerated data networking and remote system management pass-through functions in a single, all-in-one solution at price points enabling the broad adoption of this technology. By deploying these functions over standard Ethernet networks, IT professionals can significantly reduce the costs associated with deploying and maintaining today's complex fabric infrastructure.
In today's enterprise network, a standard server is typically equipped with two Gigabit Ethernet controllers and in some cases with other storage adapters. To simultaneously run network, storage and clustering traffic at high rates, requires multiple adapters and high amounts of CPU cycles. While running over a standard Ethernet network, Broadcom's NetXtreme II C-NIC technology frees the server's resources to perform their primary tasks, namely running application code, while simultaneously increasing performance. The NetXtreme II family of C-NICs enables IT professionals to simplify their networking by providing network, storage and clustering capabilities over existing and familiar TCP/IP and Ethernet infrastructures while boosting server performance with up to 5x improvement in CPU utilization.
About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is a major technology innovator and global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom® products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. We provide the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art, system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything®.
Broadcom is one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies, with 2006 revenue of $3.67 billion, and holds over 2,300 U.S. and 1,000 foreign patents, more than 7,100 additional pending patent applications, and one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios addressing both wired and wireless transmission of voice, video and data.
Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at +1.949.926.5000 or at www.broadcom.com.
(1) IOPS is a common metric used for evaluating storage performance
Broadcom Trade Press Contact
Heather A. Roberts
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hroberts@broadcom.com
SOURCE Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Enterprise Networking
http://www.broadcom.com
