8/12/2019 CS701

1/7

Case Study

February 23, 2007

High-Performance Networking in the University

Campus

Edwin Hoffman, CSA

8/12/2019 CS701

2/7

Case Summary

1

Case Summary

A university campus can benefit in many areas from high-performance networkingsystems. Among these are:

Computer IT departmentsWhere modern technology produces students

with cutting-edge skills

Physics and mathematics departmentsHigh-performance computing

(HPC) in science departments

Campus connectivityHigh-performance campus connectivity requirements

Campus entertainment delivery servicesCost savings or incremental

income from campus entertainment delivery

Extended and distance learningIncremental income and marketability of

the university using technology to expand popular courses both on campus and

off campus

COMPUTER IT DEPARTMENTS The computer IT department must stay current with modern trends of the computingworld, even when the computer department network is the least thought of andmost important of this departments assets. Sun Microsystems' motto used to be theThe Network is the Computer. This is an even more germane statement today.Following the trends in networking is essential in any computer department, buteven more so in the successful ones to maintain their high standards.

PHYSICS AND MATHEMATICS

DEPARTMENTS

Whether it is experimental analysis of material performance, theoretical particlephysics, or massive computing array mathematics, the network that connects HPCsystems together needs to be fast, reliable, and cost effective. The trend is toward10-Gigabit speeds, but few can afford the technology, therefore compromise isalways the watch word.

CAMPUS CONNECTIVITY In campus networks, the goal is usually to provide the maximum performance withthe maximum resiliency for the lowest cost. Considering that the entire lifeblood of a

university is riding on such a campus network, it is essential to get the bestperformance possible.

When linking the university campus together, obtaining the cheapest system thatworks can be exactly the wrong approach. State university systems can benefitfrom the efficiencies that high-performance campus interconnects can bring.

CAMPUS ENTERTAINMENT

DELIVERY SERVICES

When Northwest University decided to bring cable TV on campus, the price forrunning coaxial cable throughout the campus was the deciding factor. Theuniversity decided to deliver their cable TV over an Ethernet network saving over$12 million in cable costs alone.

Northwest missed the opportunity to offer Video-on-Demand (VoD) services fromcampus sources that could have brought a steady stream of income for theuniversity. Many universities have also implemented cable TV on campus, but havealso missed the same opportunity.

HPC Computing

In the last few years, high-speed

networks have become a dominantfactor in proliferating

High-Performance Computing (HPC)

facilities.

Anonymous.

8/12/2019 CS701

3/7

8/12/2019 CS701

4/7

Raptor Solution

3

TRUE PARALLEL COMPUTING Parallel computing systems such as Oracle Parallel Server (OPS) systems cannotbe used effectively due to network bandwidth limitations. Most networks supportOPS severs only when connected to massive core switches. Parallel systems arenot very resilient systems.

Figure 2 shows the OPS servers in their own VLAN with QoS parameters that theycan really use and are geographically redundant. Even a major disaster such as a

fire or building collapse cannot stop these servers. Inter-VLAN routing allows usersto access the OPS system using Access Control Lists (ACLs) to make them secure.

FIGURE 2. Parallel Server Configuration

If video delivery (unicast/multicast), surveillance, or conferencing is required, it iseasy to assign another system-wide VLAN and apply QoS parameters.

FIGURE 3. Video Delivery, Surveillance, and Conferencing Network

VID

11

VID

11

VID

11

VID

11

VID

21

VID

21

When using a parallel processing

application, a VLAN that exists in

multiple buildings is just so much

easier.

Oracle Parallel Servers operatingin their own VLAN and with

VLAN-based QoS is just simple.

Oracle Parallel

Oracle Parallel Server

Server

VID

11

VID11

VID11

VID

11

VID

21

VID

21

Oracle Parallel Server

Oracle Parallel Server

VID31

VID31 VID

31

VID31

192.168.1.x

192.168.18.x

172.168.18.x192.168.1.x

172.168.18.x

192.168.1.x192.168.1.x

192.168.18.x

172.168.18.x

192.168.18.x

192.168.18.x

172.168.18.x

The video VLAN allows secure

access to video resources via

ACLs, while also ensuring deliveryby applying correct QoS

parameters to the video streams.

8/12/2019 CS701

5/7

Raptor Solution

4

Finally, all the clients and their attendant mail, print, application servers as well asother system-wide VLAN and control access to all the other VLANs via ACLs areadded to the configuration.

FIGURE 4. Complete Configuration

RAST provides for the switching or routing of traffic depending on where the VLANsmeet in the system. Figure 4 shows all the VLANs that are available in any switch.

In Building A, if a client needed to route to VLAN (21), the switch directs the

traffic to Building B where it then routes into VLAN 21.

In Building B, if a client (23.8.1.x) needs to access the same OPS VLAN, itroutes in Building B.

In Building D, if a client in subnet 23.8.4.x needs to access the mail server in

Building A in subnet 23.8.1.x, the traffic switches over the shortest distancebetween sites and routes in Building A.

RAST actually allows what many other systems attempt to accomplish (and fail) todo by allowing VLANs to operate natively over long links and allowing subnets toexist in any or all sites. Resilient Packet Ring (RPR), Q-in-Q (VMAN), VLANstacking, or even VPLS were introduced to try and create this holy grail and allowa VLAN to exist on multiple sites.

When any of these attempts to create a transportable VLAN are made, it causes amajor issue that these technologies cannot address. When a VLAN is created the

switch it was created on owns the VLAN.

If the VLAN is transported to another switch, the VLAN is trunked over using802.1Q and 801.p tagging so that the remote switch can join the VLAN. Theproblem with this structure is that when routing between VLANs, the only switchthat can route the VLAN is the owner of the VLAN (the creator). Expensivebandwidth is wasted because data is transported back to the VLAN creator to berouted, and perhaps over the same link to the egress point.

Note All subnets actually exist in all four buildings.

VID

21

VID11

VID

31

VID33

VID33

192.168.1.x

172.168.18.x

23.8.4.x

192.168.18.x

23.8.1.x

VID21

VID11

VID31

VID

33

VID

33

192.168.1.x

172.168.18.x

23.8.4.x

192.168.18.x

23.8.1.x

192.168.1.x

172.168.18.x

23.8.4.x

23.8.1.x

VID11

VID31

VID33

VID33

VID11

VID

31

VID33

VID33

192.168.1.x

172.168.18.x

23.8.4.x

23.8.1.x

Building A Building B

Building DBuilding C

Traffic flows are highly efficient in aRaptor Adaptive Switch Technology

(RAST) network configuration.

8/12/2019 CS701

6/7

Raptor Solution

5

If VLANs really existed on both sides of the network, then the routing function wouldoccur at both sides.

FIGURE 5. VLAN Limitations Without RAST

With Raptor Networks RAST, the VLAN does exist on both sides of the network,therefore the subnet exists on both sides of the network, and any routingrequirement is carried out locally and does not waste bandwidth. More importantly itdoes not increase latency. Imagine that happens to latency when data istransported from side to side just to route it!

FIGURE 6. RAST VLAN

Metro Network

VID10

VID10VID11

VID12

VID13 VID11

VID12

VID13

VLAN Creator

VLAN trunk

Terminator

VID11

VID12

Route Path

VID11

VID12

VID13

These subnets can only exits here !

Subnet 192.168.1.x =VID11

Subnet 23.108.54.x=VID12

When a system on the terminator side needs to route to another system on the

terminator side, but in a different VLAN, the path data MUST take is to ride over

the Q-in-Q network to the switch that created the VLANs (remember Q-in-Q simplyallows tagged VLAN packets to tunnel through another VLAN) and perform the

route at that point. This is costly because each routed packet uses exactly twice

the bandwidth (2 times over the metro link) when it should use none!

VID11

VID12

VID13

ER-1010 unit 2

VID11

VID12

Route Path

VID11

VID12

VID13

ER-1010 unit 1

With a RAST network over dark fiber or managed fiber, the VLANs existcompletely in both sites. Therefore when ER-1010 unit 2 is asked to route

between VID11 and VID12, the route happens in ER-1010 unit 2. No wasted

bandwidth occurs, latencies remain low, routing happens only where it must.

8/12/2019 CS701

7/7

Case Conclusion

Corporate Headquarters: 1241 E. Dyer Road, Suite 150 Santa Ana, CA 92705

Phone: 949-623-9300 /Fax: 949-623-9400 / Web: www.raptor-networks.com / E-mail: info@raptor-networks.com

Raptor Networks Technology, Inc. reserves the right to make changes without further notice to any products or data herein to improve reliability, function, ordesign. Information furnished by Raptor Networks Technology, Inc. is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, Raptor Networks Technology, Inc. doesnot assume any liability arising out of the application or use of this information, nor the application or use of any product or circuit described herein, neither doesit convey any license under its patent rights nor the rights of others.

Raptor Networks Technology, Inc. is a registered t rademark and RAST is a trademark of Raptor Networks Technology, Inc. All other t rademarks are the propertyof their respective owners.

CS701 02/23/2007

Case Conclusion

RAST allows 10-Gigabit speed across distances up to 120 km at prices that are afraction of the 10-Gigabit Ethernet prices offered by other vendors. RAST providesthe most efficient and resilient high-performance network possible. This technologyallows a university to implement all the smart applications as needed to provide the

broadest possible range of services for the campus.