Paper Title: Fibre Channel Networked Flash Storage

Paper Abstract: Many connection technologies exist for Flash Storage, including Ethernet, Fibre Channel, PCI Express, and InfiniBand. This talk will focus on Fibre Channel. Data Centers want to share storage readily among multiple compute nodes and be able to perform clustering, failover, and other system-wide operations. They thus need networked storage rather than the traditional direct-attached variety. However, networked storage introduces new tradeoffs in terms of cost, complexity, speed, latency, and other factors. Flash storage makes design even more difficult because of its higher bandwidth and performance, thus placing more strain on switches and adapters. How does Fibre Channel, the Grand Daddy of SANs, solve the challenges of Flash Storage? Higher-speed versions are available, as well as lower-latency extensions such as NVMe over FC. Typical issues governing selection include familiarity with particular approaches, existing use, latency and performance requirements, scalability, ecosystem (including management tools), and cost. This talk will cover them all.

Paper Author: Curt Beckmann, Product Architect Nvme Over Fibre Channel, Brocade

Author Bio: Curt Beckmann, Principal Architect at Brocade, is recently back to the Bay Area after 2 years in Paris where he held the role of CTO for Brocade Europe. Prior to that he led the architecture and development of storage virtualization ASICs for Rhapsody Networks, which was central to that firm’s successful acquisition by Brocade. He also led the ASIC/hardware design team for Nortel’s largest-unit-selling network switch. Beckmann’s combination of winning designs and customer-facing experience make him uniquely qualified to evaluate the design considerations of customer needs.