Plexxi Announces Network Switch Series

NASHUA, N.H. -- Plexxi today announced the launch of its Plexxi Switch 2 Series to enable the creation of networks for the next era of IT emphasizing applications over infrastructure as the main priority. The groundbreaking Plexxi Switch 2 Series consolidates the network fabric into a single tier, optimized for east/west application traffic, while eliminating the need for multiple switch types found in traditional leaf/spine architectures. As a result, the Switch 2 Series delivers unprecedented CapEx (less hardware and cabling) and OpEx (automation and operational efficiency) savings while tightly aligning to application and business priorities.

“In the era of the 3rd Platform, especially as cloud proliferates, enterprises and developers want to focus on their applications and services, not on the underlying network infrastructure,” said Brad Casemore, Research Director, Data Center Networks, IDC. “Accordingly, networking vendors must provide an agile, dynamic network infrastructure that features application-oriented programmability. By focusing on the needs of the application rather than those of the network, Plexxi seeks to provide an application-centric approach to network infrastructure suited to the demands of the next era of IT.”

Plexxi’s system level approach to networking leverages three key innovation pillars: Plexxi Connect (application integration ecosystem), Plexxi Control (dynamic network fabric fitting/rendering, centralized visualization and management) and Plexxi Switches to deliver next generation data center agility. Based on the needs of individual data and application workloads, the Switch 2 Series leverages Plexxi Control innovation to dynamically change the fabric topology in real time, intelligently forwarding traffic and delivering needed network capacity. Integration with VMware’s vSphere through Plexxi Connect streamlines operations by establishing policies that orchestrate network behavior and converge application and network management into a single workflow enabling the network to keep pace with the speed of business.

Plexxi’s technology allows enterprises and government agencies to move beyond the static networks of the past to create the industry’s first converged, agile and dynamic network fabric, lowering capital and operating expenses, reducing network complexity, improving security and increasing productivity.

“We’ve entered a new era of IT in which virtualization, hyperconvergence, Big Data and scale-out applications have radically transformed the landscape of IT. Storage and compute have evolved rapidly over the last decade, but networking has remained unchanged,” said Rich Napolitano, CEO of Plexxi. “Traditional network architectures were static and defined by the physical cabling. Applications were poured in and you hoped the network could support them. In today’s world, you need to start with the data and applications in mind, and dynamically engineer the network around them. That is why we built the Plexxi Switch 2 Series. They allow organizations to meet the demands of the next era of IT with a network that is more agile, scalable, and intelligent than ever before.”

The Plexxi Switch 2 Series includes the following options, allowing customers to seamlessly scale-out their network in a building block approach, as the organization requires:

The Entry Series (2e), a low-cost, high-density platform for Big Data and agile data centers with 48 access ports, 6 QSFP fabric ports and 240 Gbps of fabric capacity.

The Performance Series (2s, 2sp), a high-density platform for Big Data, agile data centers and distributed cloud environments with 72 access ports, 4 dedicated Flexx™ ports and 2 LightRail® optical fabric interconnect ports delivering 240 Gbps of fabric capacity.

The Performance Plus Series (2, 2p), a high-density platform for Big Data, agile data centers and distributed cloud environments with 48 access ports, 28 dedicated Flexx ports and 4 LightRail optical fabric interconnect ports delivering 480 Gbps of multidimensional fabric capacity.

The Plexxi Switch 2 Series is available immediately with pricing starting at $25,000 excluding software and integration licenses. The Switch 2e is available for volume shipment beginning in September.

Plexxi