Dell MXL blade switch, M1000e Specifications
Dell Networking MXL blade switch
For Dell M1000e blade enclosures
Expand the value of your blade investment. The Dell Networking MXL blade switch delivers
performance and scalability in a exible package to meet the shifting demands of your business and
data center as it transitions to 1/10/40GbE.
The Dell Networking MXL blade switch provides 1/10GbE
connectivity on server-facing ports for up to 32 M-Series
blade servers equipped with the latest KR-based 10GbE
network daughter or mezzanine cards. The MXL switch
oers 1/10/40GbE connectivity on the uplinks to interface
with a top of rack switch, directly to the core, or directly to
an Ethernet-based SAN. The MXL switch also has enhanced
bandwidth, performance and exibility to satisfy the
changing demands of data centers embracing virtualization,
network convergence and other I/O-intensive applications
or workloads.
Flexibility and pay as you grow
The Dell Networking MXL blade switch provides rich
functionality using 1/10/40GbE, addressing the diverse
needs of environments ranging from data centers, large
enterprises, government networks, education/research and
high-performance computing. The MXL switch supports 32
internal 1/10GbE ports as well as two xed 40GbE QSFP+
ports and oers two bays for optional FlexIO modules.
Uplinks via the FlexIO modules can be added or swapped as
needed to ensure your business has room to grow. Choose
from 2-port QSFP+, 4-port SFP+, 4-port 10GBase-T FlexIO
or 4-port FC modules. The MXL switch provides the exibility
to mix and match the FlexIO module types.
The MXL blade switch is an
industry-rst, 40GbE-capable,
modular and stackable blade
switch for the M1000e chassis.
High-performing architecture and
Ethernet stacking
The MXL switch is an industry-rst, 40GbE-capable,
modular and stackable blade switch for the M1000e chassis.
Ethernet stacking using two 40GbE ports enables scalable
network switch growth for up to six interconnected blade
switches that are managed as one logical device. Both
stacking across chassis and local switching of trac within
the chassis oer high performance, eciency and lower
TCO.
Powerful and robust OS
Dell Networking Operating System 9 (OS9) is a robust and
scalable operating system comprised of feature-rich Layer 2
and Layer 3 switching and routing functionality using industry
standard command line interface. Deployed by some of the
most demanding data center customers, the MXL switch
brings this high-performing and resilient OS9 to the M1000e
chassis.
Built-in convergence capabilities
The MXL switch is fully IEEE data center bridging (DCB)
compliant, supporting iSCSI, NAS and FCoE transit. With the
optional FC FlexIO module, the MXL switch is transformed
into an NPIV Proxy Gateway capable of bridging Ethernet
and Fibre Channel. Converged networking lowers costs
by immediately reducing infrastructure requirements for
blade servers and interconnects. In addition to infrastructure
savings, convergence reduces complexity, simplies
management and increases eciency in data center
operations.
Model
4-port FC module 4-port SFP+ module 4-port 10GBASE-T module 2-port QSFP+ module
Provides 2 ports of QSFP+
connectivity for 2 40Gb
connections.
When the ports are in
breakout mode, it provides
8 ports of 10Gb Ethernet
while only using 2 cables.
Module dierentiator
Designed to deliver four
ports of 8Gb Fibre Channel
bandwidth (NPG mode
only).
NPIV Proxy Gateway*
(NPG) oering gateway
capabilities to existing SAN
fabrics.
Provides 4 ports of SFP+
10Gb connectivity. Supports
optical and DAC cable
media.
Provides 4 ports of
10GBASE-T connectivity.
Supports copper media
over relatively longer
distance.
Maximum of one
10GBASE-T module per
MXL (other module bay can
be populated).
Port speed
2/4/8/Gb 10Gb/1Gb 100Mb/1Gb/10Gb (supports
auto negotiation)
10Gb/40Gb
Protocol support Native Fibre Channel Ethernet Ethernet Ethernet
RJ45/Cat6a Copper QSFP+ to 4xSFP+ Breakout
Cables 5m Passive Copper
QSFP+ to QSFP+ Direct
Attach 1m and 5m, Passive
Copper
Optical Transceivers SFP+
40Gb: SR only
QSFP+ to QSFP+ Fiber
Media types
2/4/8Gb FC SFP+ Optics Optical Tranceivers SFP+
10Gb: SR, LR
SFP 1 GBE: SX, LX
SFP to RJ45 converter
10000Base-T (only capable
of 1Gbps)
SFP+ Direct Attach Cable
(Twinax)
Cables
QSFP+ to 4xSFP+ Fiber
Breakout Cables
*The Dell FC FlexIO module uses NPIV Proxy Gateway (NPG) technology, which provides the capability to use converged FCoE inside
the M1000e chassis while maintaining traditional unconverged Ethernet and native Fibre Channel outside of the M1000e. With the FC
FlexIO module, the MXL provides bridging capabilities between Ethernet and Fibre Channel via FCoE. The MXL manages the following
items when the FC FlexIO module is installed:
1. DCB (PFC, ETS and DCBx)
2. FIP discovery and initialization
3. FLOGI and FDISC conversion process
4. FIP keep alives
For communication outside the chassis, the MXL directs all Ethernet trac out the external Ethernet ports (these ports can be in DCB or
non-DCB mode) and convert all FCoE packets to native FC packets and directs them out the native Fibre Channel ports of the FC FlexIO
module(s). The MXL acts as an NPG connecting the converged network adapters (CNAs) in the servers to the external Fibre Channel
fabric. When the FC FlexIO module is installed, the MXL appears as an FCF to the CNAs while the FC FlexIO ports appear as NPIV N_
ports (i.e. HBA ports) to the external Fibre Channel Fabric.
Note: The MXL NPIV Proxy Gateway does not currently provide fabric services.
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