HP DL360 10 Gigabit Ethernet technology for industry-standard servers - Page 3

Clustering - Inter-Process Communication (IPC) data is a method for exchanging data among two or more threads in one or more compute nodes. HPC Cluster computing is a typical example using IPC. IPC is employed mostly for passing instructions and redistributing large amounts of data between shared, distributed applications. IPC functions include methods for message passing, synchronization, shared memory, and remote procedure calls. Storage - All data communication to and from storage media. This includes Network Attached Storage (NAS), File System, iSCSI Targets and Initiators, and Fibre Channel (FC) Storage Area Networks (SAN). These multiple networks are typically deployed physically or with VLAN isolated switches and network adapters for each server. Figure 1 illustrates the fact that businesses may support as many as four unique networks in order to manage SAN data, IPC clustering data, remote management data, and Ethernet communications data. These different networks and interconnects add to the complexity of current network architectures and to the issues presented in any attempt to unify network fabrics. Figure 1. Representation of multiple networks found in business environments Network and interconnect types Different networks and interconnects add to the complexity of current network architectures and to the issues presented in any attempt to unify network fabrics. This section describes common network interconnects. Small Computer System Interface In business critical environments, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) continues to be the most widely used standard for physically connecting and transferring data between computers and peripheral devices. The SCSI standards define commands, protocols, and electrical and optical interfaces. SCSI is most commonly used for hard disks and tape drives, but it can connect a wide range of other devices, including scanners and CD drives. Internet Small Computer System Interface 3 Storage (SAN) Cluster/IPC Management Communication