Cisco’s Nexus Hyperfabric may be a relatively recent innovation, but if you are a data centre manager, you should take a serious look, as it could make your life immeasurably easier. Don’t let the name fool you, this isn’t just another update to Cisco’s ever-reliable Nexus series. It’s a completely new way to design, deploy, and manage data centre networks that solve some of the most time-consuming challenges, such as cabling complexity and the configuration of advanced network architectures.
Much of the conversation has been about preparing data centres for AI, and the soon-to-be-released Cisco Nexus Hyperfabric AI, developed in collaboration with NVIDIA, is geared up for this. However, I think the immediate opportunity to simplify the data centre is just as compelling, as Hyperfabric’s cloud-based controller is much quicker to design and deploy and is easier to manage.
To achieve this, Hyperfabric introduces a user-friendly, point-and-click interface for designing switch fabric, completely transforming data centre management. This intuitive platform automatically generates precise cabling plans and bill of materials, highlighting errors during the connection process. Making it easier to identify and rectify misconfigurations quickly.
Once all components are correctly connected, Hyperfabric autonomously configures switches into optimised stacks, enhancing connectivity and streamlining operations. The auto-generated cable diagrams simplify patching processes, significantly reducing cable troubleshooting time and effort.
Beyond these immediate operational efficiencies, Hyperfabric integrates Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN) fabric design and deployment. It will use this for the near-future AI pod so that Data Centre Managers will benefit from easier deployment and design. Engineers will continue to assign traditional overlay VLANs through an intuitive graphical interface, while Hyperfabric operates behind the scenes to build a robust VXLAN fabric-switching architecture.
At Cisco Live in Melbourne, Data#3’s Chief Technology Officer, Graham Robinson, shared his experience with Hyperfabric:
“I recently had the opportunity to meet with Cisco’s product lead and experience the end-to-end process of designing and deploying switches with Hyperfabric. I can confidently say this platform would have saved me countless weeks, if not months, of stress back in my engineering days!”
Cisco has outlined several key use cases illustrated in the diagram below. While all of them are compelling, I think Hyperfabric delivers the biggest wins for the following scenarios:
There are a few limitations you need to be aware of, but I anticipate that this will change rapidly as Cisco is investing heavily in Hyperfabric development.
At Data#3, we’re dedicated to bringing the latest and greatest technologies to Australian organisations. As a Cisco Gold Partner, we’re proud to be at the forefront of delivering innovative solutions like Cisco Hyperfabric. We’re committed to helping our clients modernise their data centre infrastructure and make their operations more efficient.
To learn more about Hyperfabric, you can contact us using the form below or through your account manager. Our team can help you determine whether Hyperfabric is suitable for your specific environment and answer any questions you may have.
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