6th Generation Brocade Fibre Channel switches

Back to: Brocade FC (Fibre Channel) Switches

The 6th Generation Brocade Fibre Channel switches (32 Gbps) marked a huge step forward in SAN technology, aligning with the needs of flash storage, NVMe, and high-performance cloud environments. Let’s break down the switches and their ASIC models:

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🚀 Brocade 6th Generation (32 Gbps) Switches

1. Brocade G610 (2017)
   • Speed: 32 Gbps FC
   • Ports: 8 to 24 ports (scalable)
   • ASIC: Brocade Goldeneye2 ASIC — designed for small-to-mid-sized SANs, supporting auto-sensing ports (8/16/32 Gbps).
   • Key Features: ISL trunking (up to 256 Gbps), integrated diagnostics, and fast error detection with Forward Error Correction (FEC).
2. Brocade G620 (2016)
   • Speed: 32 Gbps FC
   • Ports: 24 to 48 ports
   • ASIC: Brocade Goldeneye2 ASIC — high-density, low-latency design with built-in monitoring for IOPS, latency, and congestion.
   • Key Features: 4×32 Gbps ISL trunking (128 Gbps), integrated QoS, and Fabric Vision technology for advanced monitoring.
3. Brocade G630 (2018)
   • Speed: 32 Gbps FC
   • Ports: 64 ports
   • ASIC: Brocade Goldeneye2 ASIC — ideal for core-edge SAN environments, supporting dynamic path selection (DPS) and congestion management.
   • Key Features: Non-blocking architecture with ultra-low latency — essential for NVMe and flash storage.
4. Brocade X6-4 Director (2016)
   • Speed: 32 Gbps FC
   • Ports: Up to 192 ports (modular chassis)
   • ASIC: Brocade Goldeneye2 ASIC — built for large enterprises, supporting Virtual Fabrics (VF) and advanced telemetry.
   • Key Features: Up to 1 Tbps of chassis bandwidth and advanced diagnostic capabilities.
5. Brocade X6-8 Director (2016)
   • Speed: 32 Gbps FC
   • Ports: Up to 384 ports (modular chassis)
   • ASIC: Brocade Goldeneye2 ASIC — designed for ultra-scale SANs, supporting NVMe over FC and real-time monitoring.
   • Key Features: 16-slot modular design, offering line-rate performance at 32 Gbps across all ports.

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🌟 Key Innovations of 6th Generation Brocade Switches:

• 32 Gbps Fibre Channel: Double the throughput of 16 Gbps, supporting flash storage, NVMe, and high-IOPS workloads.
• Goldeneye2 ASIC:
  • Dynamic Path Selection (DPS) to optimize frame routing.
  • Forward Error Correction (FEC) for improved data reliability.
  • Hardware-based analytics with IO Insight for real-time IOPS and latency monitoring.
• ISL Trunking: Aggregate up to 8 links for a max of 256 Gbps throughput.
• Fabric Vision Technology: Enhanced diagnostic and telemetry tools, integrated with real-time analytics.
• NVMe over Fibre Channel (FC-NVMe): Native support for high-performance storage protocols.
• Virtual Fabrics (VF): Logical SAN partitioning for secure multi-tenant environments.
• Monitoring and Automation: Built-in telemetry streaming for integration with external monitoring platforms — crucial for hybrid cloud strategies.