FibreChannel over Ethernet is a hot topic among those looking to eventually build a converged data center, but it is plagued by vague pricing and a standards war between Cisco and Brocade. Of course, that didn’t stop FCoE from being the buzzword of the week at Interop.
The Ethernet Alliance hosted a FCoE and Converged Ethernet SAN interoperability demonstration that showcased FCoE-ready switches and adapters. Meanwhile, it seemed as if every keynote and conference session included some kind of FCoE angle. But hype hasn’t exactly met up with reality. Young vendors, such as top-of-rack switch start-up Arista Networks, are hanging tight waiting for a standard winner between Cisco and Brocade.
“We could add it this year or next,” says Arista CEO Jayshree Ullal. “But the Data Center Bridging standard needs to get done, and Brocade and Cisco have two different addressing formats” for FCoE. “We plan to support it in 2010.”
Meanwhile, other network vendors, such as HP ProCurve, are flat-out waiting for a more mature market. If a lack of standards weren’t enough of a cloud over the market, then pricing certainly is. Everyone knows that FCoE gear will be pricey, but no one knows, yet, what it will cost. Neither Brocade nor Cisco has mentioned that little detail yet.
Also see: Fibre channel over Ethernet a hot topic, so hurry up and wait
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