FCoE

The Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) protocol provides a method of carrying Storage Area Network (SAN) traffic over a switched Ethernet network. FCoE adds to the list of options for converged storage and data networking (see Networked storage) that provide the flexibility needed to support virtualization and cloud computing.

Network visibility is critical for managing performance in a converged network. The sFlow standard embeds monitoring in Ethernet switches and provides visibility into all types of traffic flowing over the converged network (see Packet headers), including new protocols such as FCoE. The chart at the top of this page was created using sFlow data from a switch and shows a real-time view of FCoE traffic flowing through the switch (see Choosing an sFlow analyzer).

Most data center switch vendors already support the sFlow standard. Selecting switches with sFlow support provides the visibility needed for effective management and control of a converged network.