Back to: Brocade FC (Fibre Channel) Switches
The 2nd Generation Brocade Fibre Channel switches (2 Gbps) emerged in the early 2000s, offering faster speeds and improved fabric capabilities. Let’s break them down along with their ASIC models:
🚀 Brocade 2nd Generation (2 Gbps) Switches
- Brocade SilkWorm 2800 (2001)
- Speed: 2 Gbps FC
- Ports: 8, 16, or 28 ports
- ASIC: Brocade BLOOM ASIC — introduced fabric services like zoning and advanced frame routing.
- Brocade SilkWorm 3800 (2002)
- Speed: 2 Gbps FC
- Ports: 16 ports (scalable, full fabric switch)
- ASIC: Brocade BLOOM ASIC — improved latency and added support for larger fabrics.
- Brocade SilkWorm 3900 (2002)
- Speed: 2 Gbps FC
- Ports: 32 ports (first high-density switch)
- ASIC: Brocade BLOOM ASIC — designed for core-to-edge fabrics, with better congestion management.
- Brocade SilkWorm 12000 (Director-class) (2002)
- Speed: 2 Gbps FC
- Ports: 64 to 128 ports (modular chassis design)
- ASIC: Brocade BLOOM ASIC — supported enterprise SANs, introduced trunking and advanced fabric services.
🌟 Key Features of 2nd Generation Brocade Switches:
- Zoning Enhancements: More flexible zoning configurations compared to 1st-gen.
- Fabric Scalability: Support for larger fabrics, moving from small SANs to more complex core/edge designs.
- Port Trunking: Added to boost aggregate bandwidth between switches.
- Improved ASICs: The BLOOM ASIC brought smarter frame processing and routing, reducing latency.
