VirtualFabric for the Utility Computing customer:
Today’s server I/O was designed for static environments where servers run just one application. But to create a truly flexible, on-demand pool of compute resources, server I/O must be quickly configurable, without disruption. VirtualFabric virtual I/O replaces conventional cards and cables with dynamically configurable resources that let you adapt your infrastructure on the fly. Add network and storage I/O to any server at any time or move I/O from one server to another, in seconds, without rebooting.

As today’s data center environment grows more and more complex, the VirtualFabric solution allows you to remove multiple physical Ethernet and Fibre Channel connections and replace them with a single 20Gbps link and then create virtual I/O resources with guaranteed bandwidth on the fly. Deploying VirtualFabric from Verari can improve server management by 100X utilizing 70% fewer cables and cards, and up to 50% less capital cost.

With Verari’s VirtualFabric, multiple virtual ethernet interfaces (vNICs) and virtual Fibre Channel interfaces (vHBAs) communicate over a single 20Gbps link, (or two links for redundancy), and virtual interfaces are established for host servers running Microsoft® Windows®, Linux and VMware® ESX Server. Maintaining all existing protocols and structures including VLANs and LUN Masking, these virtual I/O resources appear to the server’s applications like their traditional I/O card based counterparts.

However, unlike traditional I/O resources, vNICs and vHBAs can be created on the fly via simple software procedures and do not require the server to be opened or rebooted. These virtual resources also retain persistent identities, allowing them to be moved between servers without requiring changes to the network or SAN.