Ethernet network infrastructure company Extreme Networks said it is now supporting data center bridging (DCB) protocols in multi-vendor environments, a move it said will reduce Ethernet storage traffic loss for SAN applications.

Extreme Networks said it had demonstrated the benefits of such open architectures at a recent the Enterprise iSCSI Interoperability Test Event, led by the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) which performs independent broad-based testing and standards conformance services for the networking industry.

According to Extreme Networks senior energy senior VP David Ginsburg, by providing lossless, high-performance storage networking over multi-vendor Ethernet architectures, as opposed to existing single vendor implementations, customers can build networks that will work in a multi-vendor environment while having the capability to add converged enhanced Ethernet (CEE) functionality over time.

“These enhanced Ethernet capabilities provide a storage platform that is highly cost effective, manageable and open, while ensuring investment protection,” Ginsburg said.

The test event at the university, which took place in October last year, looked at recent extensions to industry standards including IEEE and how high performance storage can take place in light of these. A number of storage vendors took part in the tests, displaying the value of open data center architectures for converged data and storage networks.

According to University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory senior engineer Mikkel Hagen, IEEE standards enable the lossless transport of Ethernet-based storage traffic and deliver the reliability and lossless characteristics required for demanding SAN applications.

“UNH-IOL plugfests, such as the Enterprise iSCSI Interoperability Test Event, provide the vendor community with a neutral test environment where interoperability and innovation can be fostered,” Hagen said.