Cisco® MDS 9000 family fabric switches are cost-effective, highly scalable, easy-to-install,
and highly configurable Fibre Channel switches that are ideal for small to medium-sized
businesses (SMBs) and departmental and remote branch offices needing intelligent
storage area networks (SANs).
With deployment options ranging from stand-alone, top-of-the rack, and blade switches
for IBM BladeCenter and HP c-Class BladeSystem, the Cisco MDS 9100 Series Multilayer
Fabric Switches provide customers with exceptional flexibility, while maintaining consistent
feature sets and management capabilities.
In addition, the Cisco MDS 9222i Multiservice Modular Switch offers customers a modular
yet highly compact form factor solution that provides an optimized platform for deploying
high-performance SAN extension solutions, distributed intelligent fabric services, and
cost-effective multiprotocol connectivity for both open and mainframe environments. With
the Cisco MDS 9222i expansion slot, enterprise customers with Cisco MDS 9000 family
director-class solutions can maximize existing investments and extend the capabilities of
their core infrastructure into the fabric space.
Figure 1 shows the Cisco MDS 9000 family multilayer fabric switches.
Figure 1. Cisco MDS 9000 Family Multilayer Fabric Switches
Product Family Highlights
The Cisco MDS 9000 family fabric switches consist of the following:
Cisco MDS 9124 Multilayer Fabric Switch: 24-port Fibre Channel 4-Gbps full-fabric
switch; supports VSANs and PortChannels
Cisco MDS 9134 Multilayer Fabric Switch: 32-port Fibre Channel 4-Gbps full-fabric switch
with 2 ports of standard 10-Gbps Fibre Channel for uplinks or stacking; supports VSANs,
PortChannels, and IBM Fibre Connector (FICON)
Cisco MDS 9124 blade switches:
•
•
•
•
Cisco MDS IBM Blade Switch: Cisco 4-Gbps 10-port and 20-port Fibre Channel switch
modules for IBM BladeCenter, BladeCenter T, and BladeCenter H
Cisco MDS HP Blade Switch: Cisco MDS 9124e 12-port and 24-port fabric switches for
HP c-Class BladeSystem
Cisco MDS 9222i Multiservice Modular Switch: Flexible platform for up to 66 ports of 4-Gbps
Fibre Channel and 4 ports of Gigabit Ethernet; multiprotocol support for Fibre Channel,
Fibre Channel over IP (FCIP), Small Computer System Interface over IP (iSCSI), and FICON;
and capability to support Cisco Storage Media Encryption (SME) natively and the Cisco
Data Migration Manager (DMM) with the addition of a storage services module (SSM)
Benefits of Cisco MDS 9000 Family Fabric Switches
The Cisco MDS 9000 family fabric switch portfolio brings nearly all the benefits of Cisco
director-class solutions to an entirely new audience, with features such as the following:
Cisco fabric switches provide more features than competing products and offer
the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) for SMB and branch-office SAN deployments.
Quick configuration wizard (on the Cisco MDS 9124 and 9134) simplifies and streamlines
the deployment process.
Based on the same Cisco MDS 9000 SAN-OS Software platform as the industry-leading
Cisco director-class switches, the fabric switches offer many of the same features as
the director-class switches.
The switches provide a consistent feature set end-to-end. Cisco Fabric Manager and
Cisco Device Manager are included in the price of the switch.
Port licensing is enabled so that organizations can expand their deployments as they grow.
SAN security is supported for authentication of devices on the fabric, and role-based
access control (RBAC) is provided to restrict management access.
There are no hidden licenses to enable features. The Cisco MDS 9000 family fabric
switches support innovative Cisco features such as VSANs, PortChannels, quality of
service (QoS), SAN security, SAN management, hardware-enforced zoning, and Cisco In
Service Software Upgrade (ISSU) at no additional cost to the user.
The Cisco MDS 9000 family Fibre Channel blade switch offers up to 20 or 24 autosensing
Fibre Channel ports capable of speeds of 4, 2, and 1 Gbps. The Cisco MDS 9000 family
Fibre Channel blade switches are designed to meet the performance and scalability
requirements of the most demanding environments and have the same features and
functions available as those on the Cisco MDS 9124 platform.
The Cisco MDS 9222i provides SAN extension, disaster recovery, and business
continuance, offering cost effectiveness. The Cisco MDS 9222i also provides modularity,
allowing multiple blade options. This fabric switch also extends innovative features unique
to Cisco, such as the Cisco DMM for heterogeneous data migration from one storage
array to another and encryption of data sent through the fabric with Cisco SME.
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•
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•
Cisco MDS 9124
Cisco MDS 9134
Cisco Switch Module
for IBM BladeCenter
Cisco MDS 9222i
Cisco MDS 9124e
HP Blade Switch
At-A-Glance
Cisco MDS 9000 Family Fabric Switch Portfolio
Table 1 summarizes the features that the Cisco MDS 9000 family fabric switch platforms
offer to meet the storage network requirements of campus, SMB, and enterprise data centers.
Table 1. Cisco MDS 9000 Family Fabric Switch Platform Features
Feature Cisco MDS
IBM Blade
Switch
for IBM
BladeCenter
Cisco MDS
HP Blade
Switch for
HP c-Class
BladeSystem
Cisco MDS
9124
Cisco MDS
9134
Cisco MDS
9222i
Benefit
4-Gbps Fibre
Channel Ports
10 or 20 12 or 24 8 to 24 24 to 64 18 to 66 Buy what you need,
pay as you grow
10-Gbps Fibre
Channel Ports
No No No Yes No Scalability with high
performance
Gigabit
Ethernet Ports
No No No No 4 Transparent
integration of FCIP
and iSCSI storage
Modular
Expansion
Slot
N/A N/A No No 1 High flexibility,
smooth migration,
and investment
protection with
fabric storage
services modules
Trunking or
PortChannels
and Safe
Code
Upgrades
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes High-availability
features to
minimize
disruption
Extended
Distance
Support
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Capability for
business continuity
solutions
Redundant
Power
Supplies
– – Yes Yes Yes Critical for high
availability
Virtual Fabric
or VSAN
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Isolation of fabric
disruption without
the need to spend
money on isolated
SAN islands
Port Security
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Secure port-level
access
Easy
Configuration,
Event
Monitoring,
and Fabric
Management
Configuration
wizard and Cisco
Fabric and Device
Managers
Configuration
wizard and Cisco
Fabric and Device
Managers
Configuration
wizard and
Cisco Fabric
and Device
Managers
Configuration
wizard and
Cisco Fabric
and Device
Managers
Cisco Fabric
and Device
Managers
Time-efficient. easy
setup and network
monitoring and
fabric management
QoS
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Prioritization of
business-critical
applications in
the fabric
Cisco SME
and DMM
No No No No Yes Data encryption for
centralized security
and transparent
data movement
with minimal
application
disruption
Storage Networking Solutions with Cisco Fabric Switches
Figure 2 shows sample configurations using Cisco MDS 9000 family fabric switches.
Figure 2. Sample SAN Configurations Using Cisco MDS 9000 Family Fabric Switches
SAN Type Sample Configuration Diagram Solution Focus
Departmental
SAN
Cisco MDS 9000
Fabric Switch
Database
E-mail
Storage Arrays
Tape Libraries
Shared
Storage
Common
Backup
Simplified
Management
•
•
•
Enterprise
Core-Edge
SAN
Cisco MDS 9000
Fabric Switches
Cisco MDS 9500
Director Switches
Storage Arrays
Tape Libraries
E-mail,
Database
Scalability
Security
Compliance
and
Regulations
Consolidation
•
•
•
•
Business
Continuity
Metro-SAN
Cisco MDS 9100
Fabric Switch
Cisco MDS 9100
Fabric Switch
Storage Arrays
Tape Libraries
Storage Arrays
Tape Libraries
Storage
MAN
Business
Continuity
Compliance
and
Regulations
Simplified
Management
•
•
•
Business
Continuity
SAN over IP
Cisco MDS 9222i Cisco MDS 9222i
Storage Arrays
Tape Libraries
Storage Arrays
Tape Libraries
WAN/LAN
Business
Continuity
Compliance
and
Regulations
Simplified
Management
•
•
•
Consolidation
Blade
Fan-out SAN
Cisco Switch Module
for IBM BladeCenter
Cisco MDS 9100
Fabric Switches
Storage Arrays
Tape Libraries
Consolidation
Simplified
Management
Scalability
Virtualization
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At-A-Glance
Cisco MDS 9000 Family Fabric Switch Portfolio
Ordering Information
Table 2 lists ordering information for the Cisco MDS 9124, 9134, and 9222i. Table 3 lists
ordering information for Cisco MDS IBM and HP Blade Switches.
Table 2. Ordering Information for Cisco MDS 9124, 9134, and 9222i Fabric Switches
Description Part Number
Cisco MDS 9222i Multiservice Modular Switch DS-C9222i-K9
Cisco MDS 9134 32-Port Multilayer Fabric Switch with 24 4-Gbps active ports,
VSANs, PortChannels, and Cisco Fabric Manager
DS-C9134-K9
Cisco MDS 9134 32-Port Multilayer Fabric Switch with 32 4-Gbps active ports,
VSANs, PortChannels, and Cisco Fabric Manager
DS-C9134-1K9
Cisco MDS 9134 24-Port Multilayer Fabric Switch with VSANs, PortChannels,
Cisco Fabric Manager, 2x10G License pre-installed, 2 copper X2 CX4 transceivers,
and 1 copper cable. Must be ordered as a pair of units to enable 48-ports.
DS-9134G-K9
Cisco MDS 9134 32-Port Multilayer Fabric Switch with VSANs, PortChannels,
Cisco Fabric Manager, 2x10G License pre-installed, 2 copper X2 CX4 transceivers,
and 1 copper cable. Must be ordered as a pair of units to enable 64-ports..
DS-9134G-1K9
Cisco MDS 9124 24-Port Multilayer Fabric Switch DS-C9124-K9
Cisco MDS 9124 On-Demand Ports (8), 4-Gbps Activation License M9124PL8-4G and M9124PL8-4G=
Table 3. Ordering information for Cisco MDS IBM and HP Blade Switches
Description Part Number
Cisco MDS Fibre Channel Blade Switch for IBM BladeCenter, BladeCenter T, and BladeCenter H
IBM Part Number
Cisco 4Gb 20-port FC switch module for IBM Blade Center 39Y9280
Cisco 4Gb 10-port FC switch module for IBM Blade Center 30Y9284
Cisco 10-port License Upgrade for IBM Blade Center 4GB Modules 39Y9290
SFP Optics Options
Cisco 4Gb Short-Wave length 4-pack SFP Modules for IBM BladeCenter 41Y8596
Cisco 4Gb Short-Wave length SFP Modules for IBM BladeCenter 41Y8498
Cisco 4Gb Long-Wave length SFP Modules for IBM BladeCenter 41Y8600
Cisco MDS Fibre Channel Blade Switch for HP c-Class BladeSystem
HP Part Number
Cisco MDS 9124e 12-port fabric switch AG641-63001
Cisco MDS 9124e 24-port fabric switch AG642-63001
Cisco MDS 9124e 12-port license upgrade T5169-63101
Copyright © 2007 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco, Cisco IOS, Cisco Systems, and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. C45-439795-00 11/07
At-A-Glance
Cisco MDS 9000 Family Fabric Switch Portfolio
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