Cisco: Architecting Sustainability in Storage Area Networks
Cisco outlines its commitment to sustainability in Storage Area Networks (SANs) through various initiatives. The company aims for 100% of new products and packaging to incorporate Circular Design Principles by FY2025. The MDS 9000 series switches exemplify this commitment through energy-efficient design and features.
Key sustainability aspects include: power-efficient hardware with Titanium-certified power supplies, smart software capabilities for remote power management, and monitoring tools through Nexus Dashboard. Cisco's Product Takeback and Reuse Program allows customers to return used equipment at no cost, with nearly 100% being reused or recycled.
Best practices for sustainable SAN architecture include virtualization, advanced power management, and optimal topology design. The MDS 9718 can support up to 768 ports, enabling efficient single-switch configurations that reduce power consumption and inter-switch links.
Cisco descrive il proprio impegno per la sostenibilità nelle Reti di Archiviazione (SAN) attraverso varie iniziative. L'azienda mira ad avere il 100% dei nuovi prodotti e imballaggi che incorporano i Principi di Design Circolare entro l'anno fiscale 2025. Gli switch della serie MDS 9000 sono un esempio di questo impegno, grazie a un design e caratteristiche a risparmio energetico.
Tra gli aspetti chiave della sostenibilità figurano: hardware ad alta efficienza energetica con alimentatori certificati Titanium, capacità software intelligenti per la gestione remota dell'alimentazione e strumenti di monitoraggio tramite Nexus Dashboard. Il Programma di Rientro e Riutilizzo Prodotti di Cisco consente ai clienti di restituire attrezzature usate senza costi, con quasi il 100% riutilizzato o riciclato.
Le migliori pratiche per un'architettura SAN sostenibile includono la virtualizzazione, la gestione avanzata dell'alimentazione e un design topologico ottimale. L'MDS 9718 può supportare fino a 768 porte, consentendo configurazioni con singolo switch che riducono il consumo energetico e i collegamenti tra switch.
Cisco describe su compromiso con la sostenibilidad en las Redes de Área de Almacenamiento (SAN) a través de diversas iniciativas. La empresa tiene como objetivo que el 100% de nuevos productos y empaques incorporen Principios de Diseño Circular para el ejercicio fiscal de 2025. Los conmutadores de la serie MDS 9000 son un ejemplo de este compromiso gracias a su diseño y características energéticamente eficientes.
Algunos aspectos clave de sostenibilidad incluyen: hardware eficiente en energía con fuentes de alimentación certificadas Titanio, capacidades de software inteligentes para la gestión remota de la energía y herramientas de monitoreo a través del Nexus Dashboard. El Programa de Recuperación y Reutilización de Productos de Cisco permite a los clientes devolver equipos usados sin costo, con casi el 100% siendo reutilizados o reciclados.
Las mejores prácticas para una arquitectura SAN sostenible incluyen virtualización, gestión avanzada de energía y diseño topológico óptimo. El MDS 9718 puede soportar hasta 768 puertos, permitiendo configuraciones de un solo conmutador que reducen el consumo de energía y los enlaces entre conmutadores.
시스코는 여러 이니셔티브를 통해 저장 영역 네트워크(SAN)에서의 지속 가능성에 대한 자신의 헌신을 설명합니다. 이 회사는 2025 회계 연도까지 새로운 제품과 포장의 100%를 순환 설계 원칙을 적용할 것을 목표로 하고 있습니다. MDS 9000 시리즈 스위치는 에너지 효율적인 설계와 기능을 통해 이러한 헌신을 보여줍니다.
지속 가능성의 핵심 측면으로는: 티타늄 인증 전원 공급 장치를 갖춘 전력 효율적인 하드웨어, 원격 전력 관리를 위한 스마트 소프트웨어 기능, Nexus 대시보드를 통한 모니터링 도구 등이 있습니다. 시스코의 제품 회수 및 재사용 프로그램은 고객이 사용한 장비를 무상으로 반납할 수 있도록 하며, 거의 100%가 재사용되거나 재활용됩니다.
지속 가능한 SAN 아키텍처를 위한 모범 사례에는 가상화, 고급 전력 관리, 최적의 토폴로지 설계가 포함됩니다. MDS 9718은 최대 768 포트를 지원할 수 있어 전력 소비와 스위치 간 링크를 줄이는 단일 스위치 구성을 가능하게 합니다.
Cisco souligne son engagement envers la durabilité dans les réseaux de stockage (SAN) à travers diverses initiatives. L'entreprise vise à ce que 100 % des nouveaux produits et emballages intègrent les Principes de Conception Circulaire d'ici l'exercice fiscal 2025. Les commutateurs de la série MDS 9000 illustrent cet engagement grâce à un design et des fonctionnalités écoénergétiques.
Les principaux aspects de durabilité incluent : du matériel économe en énergie avec des alimentations certifiées Titanium, des capacités logicielles intelligentes pour la gestion à distance de l'alimentation, et des outils de surveillance via Nexus Dashboard. Le Programme de Récupération et de Réutilisation des Produits de Cisco permet aux clients de retourner gratuitement des équipements usagés, presque 100 % étant réutilisés ou recyclés.
Les meilleures pratiques pour une architecture SAN durable incluent la virtualisation, la gestion avancée de l'énergie et un design topologique optimal. Le MDS 9718 peut prendre en charge jusqu'à 768 ports, permettant des configurations efficaces avec un seul switch qui réduisent la consommation d'énergie et les liens interswitchs.
Cisco umreißt sein Engagement für Nachhaltigkeit in Storage Area Networks (SANs) durch verschiedene Initiativen. Das Unternehmen strebt an, dass 100% der neuen Produkte und Verpackungen bis zum Geschäftsjahr 2025 Zirkuläre Designprinzipien integriert. Die MDS 9000 Serie Switches sind ein Beispiel für dieses Engagement durch energieeffizientes Design und Funktionen.
Wichtige Nachhaltigkeitsaspekte umfassen: energieeffiziente Hardware mit titaniumzertifizierten Netzteilen, intelligente Softwarefähigkeiten für das Remote-Power-Management und Überwachungstools über das Nexus Dashboard. Das Produkt-Rücknahme- und Wiederverwendungsprogramm von Cisco ermöglicht es Kunden, gebrauchte Geräte kostenlos zurückzugeben, wobei fast 100% wiederverwendet oder recycelt werden.
Beste Praktiken für eine nachhaltige SAN-Architektur umfassen Virtualisierung, fortschrittliches Energiemanagement und optimales Topologiedesign. Der MDS 9718 kann bis zu 768 Ports unterstützen, was effiziente Konfigurationen mit einem einzelnen Switch ermöglicht, die den Energieverbrauch und die Verbindungen zwischen Switches reduzieren.
- None.
- None.
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / December 4, 2024 / Cisco Systems Inc.
By Fausto Vaninetti
In today's increasingly interconnected world, networking equipment and secure operations have become essential to nearly every aspect of business and daily life. This is even truer for storage networking since data access is vital to applications, including the Artificial Intelligence (AI) realm. As reliance on networking infrastructure grows, so does the need to advance sustainability in business practices and technologies. With the intent of progressing toward a more sustainable future, organizations can benefit from designing storage area networks (SANs) that are not only secure, high performance and reliable, but also with less impact on the planet. At Cisco, we have a goal for
This blog post addresses the following topics relating to sustainability in SANs:
Combining energy consumption reduction and circularity
Sustainability in hardware and software design with monitoring included
Striving to evolve to a regenerative, circular model for products and packaging
Design best practices
Combining energy consumption reduction and circularity
Both energy consumption and power efficiency are critical factors when architecting sustainability in SANs. Energy consumption not only has an environmental impact but also contributes to operating costs. As such, choosing power-efficient switches is crucial. The Cisco MDS 9000 series switches are an excellent example of networking equipment optimized for the SAN designed to reduce energy consumption and operating costs while maintaining high performance and resiliency. This value proposition can get even stronger when paired with engineering efforts to align with the principles of a circular economy. Consider the ability to upgrade-in-place to a new generation of linecards and minimize replacement of parts. Consider the extended lifetime derived from a modular and highly reliable design. Consider the ability of extended use by loading the latest firmware release on the portfolio on sale, enabling an updated feature set and a solid security posture. This can help reduce the contribution of embodied carbon to overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Sustainability in hardware and software design with monitoring included
The Cisco MDS 9000 series switches follow hardware design guidelines that support activation of several software features to facilitate a reduced power footprint. The switching application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) keep evolving along a trajectory of doubling power efficiency (Gbps/Watt) at new generations. Moreover, current 64G chipsets incorporate the ability to reduce energy consumption while reducing port speed, further contributing to power efficiency in SANs. Power supplies hold third party Titanium certification for up to
Smart software capabilities keep gaining in importance. They allow for remote powering off of individual components such as switching modules and power supply units when they are not needed. This way SAN administrators can benefit from ready-to-activate spare components, minimize energy consumption and increase power efficiency. In addition, the recent transceiver power control feature introduces industry-unique power reduction innovation at the port level. The combination of these advanced power management features helps optimize energy consumption of SANs, which can minimize energy waste and reduce operating costs.
Improvements in the energy posture can be automatically captured and tracked. For example, the Nexus Dashboard management tool can monitor and display real-time and historical trends of consumed electrical power for Cisco MDS 9000 series switches. In conjunction with the Panduit Intelligent Power Distribution Units (iPDUs), it becomes possible to collect and unify IT and facility data points, gaining visibility of sustainability metrics at the site, equipment, or PDU outlet level.
Striving to evolve to a regenerative, circular model for products and packaging
Cisco's focus on sustainability goes beyond energy efficiency in products, as we also have initiatives in place to help reduce waste. Cisco is a member in the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Circular Products and Materials pathway. This pathway focuses on promoting and implementing circular economy principles in the production and use of materials and products. With our Product Takeback and Reuse Program, customers can responsibly return their used networking equipment at no cost. Cisco strives to process returned products to their next best use, whether it is refurbishing, reusing, reselling or harvesting their components and responsibly recycling them. Cisco reuses or recycles nearly 100 percent of products that are returned to us. Where applicable, customers can even opt-in to receive a Certificate of Recycling (COR), further promoting a circular economy approach.
Additionally, our focus on improving packaging and reducing plastic enables Cisco MDS 9000 series switches to stand out in the overall networking landscape. Reduction of plastic bags for transceivers and accessories, reduction of virgin raw materials in favor of recycled materials, improvements in product packaging cube efficiency: this pinpoints the current ambitious direction for product development and packaging.
Design best practices
When architecting sustainability in SANs, there are several best practices to consider. Virtualization and consolidation in the compute farm can reduce the number of physical switches and ports needed, which can help lower energy consumption and operating costs. Enabling advanced power management features on devices, such as those offered by the Cisco MDS 9000 series switches, can help further reduce energy usage. Topology considerations and product selection can also make a difference. The adoption of port-optimized low-power fabric switches for small SANs or top-of-rack deployments can help minimize energy consumption and cabling. When appropriate, the move to a multi-fabric collapsed core design with the Cisco MDS 9718 can help reduce the number of chassis and inter-switch links (ISLs), supporting tangible power and cost savings. The MDS 9718 can have up to 768 ports, allowing a moderately sized SAN to exist on a single switch. This means that ports can be connected to end devices instead of "wasted" on ISLs. A larger SAN can be designed with multiple MDS 9718 directors, each operating as an individual fabric. Finally, monitoring energy consumption and utilization can help identify areas for improvement, and choosing energy-efficient equipment and components can help maximize energy savings.
Cisco MDS 9000 series can help advance sustainability in your SAN
Architecting sustainability in SANs is essential for organizations moving toward more sustainable practices and looking to reduce their carbon footprint and operating costs. Power-efficient switches, such as the Cisco MDS 9000 series, can offer advantages in terms of energy consumption and cost savings. Organizations can also benefit from Cisco's sustainability initiatives, such as Cisco's Takeback and Reuse Program and our plastic reduction efforts. By following these practices, organizations can design SANs in a more sustainable way, which can benefit the environment and their bottom line. Modernizing SANs with sustainability in mind can help yield a high Return on Investment. We estimate that, over five years, the energy and footprint savings from the old systems can sometimes cover the cost of the new SAN, effectively allowing organizations to "pay for" the upgrade through operational efficiencies.
References
Cisco's environmental, social, and governance (ESG) Reporting Hub
Cisco evolving the business to circular economy
Cisco's Product Takeback and Reuse program
View original content here.
View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Cisco Systems Inc. on 3blmedia.com.
Contact Info:
Spokesperson: Cisco Systems Inc.
Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cisco-systems-inc
Email: info@3blmedia.com
SOURCE: Cisco Systems Inc.
View the original press release on accesswire.com
FAQ
What are Cisco's sustainability goals for SAN products by 2025?
How does the Cisco MDS 9000 series contribute to energy efficiency?
What is Cisco's Product Takeback and Reuse Program?
How many ports can the Cisco MDS 9718 support for sustainable SAN design?
