ABSTRACT
The importance of I/O and networking with associated demand drivers and challenges
How tiered access can be used to address various challenges
I/O virtualization and converged data and storage networking
Like the important role that transmission networks play in access to and efficient delivery of reliable electrical power, input/output (I/O) and data networks enable IT services to be delivered to users leveraging local as well as remote servers and storage. Previous chapters have discussed the role of servers to support the processing needs of information services delivery as well as the associated power, cooling, floor space, and environmental health and safety (PCFE) impacts and issues. The amount of data being generated, copied, and retained for longer periods of time is elevating the importance of the role of data storage and infrastructure resource management (IRM). Networking and I/O connectivity technologies tie facilities, servers, storage tools for measurement and management, and best practices on a local and wide area basis to enable an environmentally and economically friendly data center. Networks play a crucial role in delivering IT services while enabling a green and virtual data center on a local as well as wide area basis. The importance of this chapter is to understand the characteristics of various physical and virtualized I/O technologies in order to align those capabilities to different usage scenarios for cost-effective IT service delivery.
