Rev. 1.0
Penguin Computing
8
Introduction to Arctica Ethernet Switch
Systems
Overview
Penguin Computing Arctica 1U switch systems are an ideal spine and Top of Rack (ToR) solution,
allowing maximum flexibility, with port speeds spanning from 10Gb/s to 100Gb/s per port, and port
density that enables full rack connectivity to any server at any speed. The uplink ports allow a variety
of blocking ratios that suit any application requirement. Powered by the Spectrum ASIC, the systems
carry whopping switching and processing capacities in a compact 1U form factor.
Keeping with the Penguin Computing tradition of setting performance record switch systems, the
Spectrum based systems introduce the world’s lowest latency for 100GbE switching and routing
elements—while having the lowest power consumption in the market. They enable the use of 10, 25,
40, 50 and 100GbE in a large scale without changing power infrastructure facilities.
The Spectrum based switch systems are a part of Penguin Computing’s complete end-to-end solution,
which provides 10GbE through 100GbE interconnectivity within the data center. These systems
introduce hardware capabilities for multiple tunneling protocols that enable increased reachability
and scalability for today’s data centers. Implementing MPLS, NVGRE and VXLAN tunneling
encapsulations in the network layer of the data center allows more flexibility for terminating a tunnel
by the network, in addition to termination on the server endpoint.
While Spectrum provides the thrust and acceleration that powers the switch systems, they get yet
another angle of capabilities, running with a powerful x86-based processor, which allows them to not
only be the highest performing switch fabric elements, but also grants them the ability to incorporate
a Linux running server into the same device. This opens up multiple application aspects of utilizing the
high CPU processing power and the best switching fabric, to create a powerful machine with unique
appliance capabilities that can improve numerous network implementation paradigms.
The Spectrum™ based 1U switch systems support the Open Network Install Environment (ONIE) for
zero touch installations of network operating systems. All Ethernet systems can be purchased
preloaded with Cumulus Linux.
