Extreme Networks Data Sheet
BlackDiamond
®
X8
Make Your Network Mobile
Data centers today demand highly virtualized, converged and scalable infrastructure.
Multi-tenancy and cloud computing are driving the need for simplicity and cost efficiency
from the network fabric, along with a need for expandability, high performance and service
up time. Extreme Networks Open Fabric solution, led by its flagship BlackDiamond® X8
platform, provides seamless any-to-any connectivity through a simple, scalable, and
centrally orchestrated network.
Designed for the cloud-scale requirements of Data Centers, High Performance Computing
(HPC), and Internet Exchange Points (IXP), the BlackDiamond X8 provides a low-latency,
high performance switch fabric with high-density wire-speed 10GbE, 40GbE and 100GbE
connectivity for edge-to-core applications, all in a compact footprint using only one-third of
a standard rack. As a ‘fabric-in-a-box’ solution, the BlackDiamond X8 eliminates expensive
multi-tier architectures and the challenges of inter-device connectivity, uplink bandwidth,
and latency. The BlackDiamond X8 also leverages a low-power design ideal for green
operations and high degrees of energy efficiency, resulting in lower Total Cost of Ownership
(TCO).
Key Features | Benefits
“Cloud-Scale” Switching
The BlackDiamond X8 provides 20.48Tbps total switching capacity for traffic growth while
supporting 384 1GbE / 768 10GbE / 192 40GbE, or 32 100GbE wire-speed ports in a single
chassis. This translates into 1,152 1GbE / 2,304 10GbE / 576 40GbE, or 96 100GbE ports in a
single rack or any combination of those. The BlackDiamond X8 design leverages an
orthogonal direct mating system between the interface and switch fabric modules,
eliminating the performance bottleneck of backplane or mid-plane designs. The
BlackDiamond X8 offers up to 1.28Tbps capacity per slot with current switch fabric modules,
with an architecture supporting higher capacity switch fabric modules in the future.
High Scale Enterprise Routing
The BlackDiamond X8 supports two types of interface modules: one for high-density,
low-latency moderate-scale edge applications, and the other for the high-scale core or
Highlights
• High density 1/10GbE, 40GbE and
100GbE switch for data center
consolidation
• 768 ports of 10GbE SFP+ per switch,
2,304 ports per rack
• 384 ports of 100/1000/10000MbE RJ45
per switch, 1,152 ports per rack
• 384 ports of 1GbE SFP per switch, 1,152
ports per rack (using 10GbE)
• 192 ports of 40GbE QSFP+ per switch,
576 ports per rack
• 32 ports of 100GbE CFP2 per switch, 96
ports per rack (future availability)
• Orthogonal architecture with 20.48
Tbps total switching capacity
• 2.3
µ
Sec port-to-port latency
• High-scale routing with 1 million
forwarding entries
• Powered by time-tested, modular
ExtremeXOS® operating system with
resilient and intelligent virtualization
features and hardware switching of up
to 1 Million virtual machines
• Converged open fabric for reliable IP
based storage services and transit for
FCoE traffic
• Low power consumption of 5.6 Watt per
10GbE or 22.5 Watts per 40GbE port for
low Total Cost of Ownership
Simplify, Virtualize and Converge Cloud-Scale Data Center Networks.
