Connectrix DS-8820B 128G FC SAN Switch

Overview

The Connectrix DS-8820B is a 1U, 128 Gb/s Fibre Channel switch built on Connectrix B-Series GEN8 technology. It provides 56 x 128G SFP+ ports with ultra-low latency and exceptional throughput, delivering the bandwidth and scalability required for enterprise AI, high-performance computing and next-generation workloads. A compact form factor maximises rack utilisation while Ports on Demand scalability from 24 to 56 ports in 8-port increments keeps upfront cost and over-provisioning down.

Port Configuration

• Form factor: 1U, 19-inch EIA-compliant
• Fibre Channel ports: switch mode provides 56 x 128G SFP+ ports, each
  supporting E_Ports, F_Ports, N_Ports, M_Ports, D_Ports and EX_Ports
• Scalability: 24-port base configuration; additional ports are enabled with
  four 8-port SFP+ PODs (Ports on Demand), scaling the switch from 24 to 56 ports
• Access Gateway: default port mapping of 56 F_Ports and 8 N_Ports; Access
  Gateway mode can be enabled through the CLI, Web Tools or SANnav Management Portal
• Licensing: all software features are included, eliminating additional
  licences or installations

Performance

• Aggregate bandwidth: 7.168 Tb/s
• Fibre Channel line speeds: 112.2, 57.8, 28.05 and 14.025 Gb/s full duplex;
  auto-sensing of 128, 64, 32 and 16G port speeds depending on the SFPs used
• ISL trunking: frame-based trunking with up to eight SFP+ ports per ISL trunk
  and up to 1,024 Gb/s per trunk; exchange-based load balancing across ISLs with Dynamic Path
  Selection (DPS) included in Fabric OS
• Latency: 580 ns for locally switched ports at 128G with dual forward error
  correction (FEC)
• Maximum frame size: 2,112-byte payload
• Frame buffers: 40K
• Classes of service: Class 2, Class 3 and Class F (inter-switch frames)
• Port types: D_Port (ClearLink diagnostic port), E_Port, EX_Port, F_Port and
  M_Port with optional port-type control; Access Gateway mode supports F_Port and NPIV-enabled
  N_Port
• Media types: 128G FC SFP+ LC connector (SWL); 64G FC SFP+ LC connector
  (SWL, LWL, ELWL)
• Data traffic types: fabric switches supporting unicast
• Scalability: full-fabric architecture with a maximum of 239 switches;
  certified maximum of 4K active nodes, 56 switches and 19 hops in Fabric OS fabrics
• Long distance: Fibre Channel in-flight compression (LZO) and encryption
  (AES-GCM-256 on FC ISLs at the E_Port) with support for DWDM MAN connectivity

AI-Powered Autonomy and SAN Management

GEN8 technology embeds SAN AI and SAN Fabric Intelligence (SAN FI) so that the fabric
monitors its own behaviour, detects anomalies and self-corrects before performance is impacted.
Built-in intelligence collates millions of data points from across the fabric and reduces complex
telemetry to actionable insight.

• SAN Fabric Intelligence: eliminates manual correlation of servers, storage,
  virtual machines and fabric connections and provides end-to-end fabric visibility
• Adaptive Traffic Optimizer: automatically prioritises critical application
  traffic, adapts performance groups as traffic characteristics change, and isolates flows that are
  adversely affecting others
• Web Tools and SANnav: a simplified built-in interface for everyday tasks plus
  modern dashboards, accelerated troubleshooting and rapid deployment of applications, servers,
  switches and storage
• Congestion management: keeps traffic flowing and performance consistent
  without manual tuning

Cyber-Resilient, Quantum-Safe Security

Connectrix B-Series GEN8 secures storage traffic through Fibre Channel isolation and
role-based access controls, protecting against unauthorised access. Hardened Fabric OS and
validated hardware and software roots of trust ensure that only authenticated components operate
within the system, and a principle of least privilege architecture grants users, applications and
systems only the minimum access necessary to perform their functions.

• Quantum-resistant encryption: 256-bit post-quantum cryptography algorithms
  designed to protect data against future quantum-computing attacks
• Fabric isolation: Fibre Channel zoning and role-based access control keep
  storage traffic separate from general-purpose networks
• MapS security monitoring: SANnav Management Portal captures MAPS alerts for
  real-time monitoring of the security configuration, fabric health and performance

Fabric Services

BB Credit Recovery; Advanced Zoning (Default Zoning, Port/WWN Zoning, Peer Zoning); Congestion Signaling; Dynamic Path Selection (DPS); Extended Fabrics; Fabric Performance Impact Notification (FPIN); Fabric Vision; FDMI; FICON CUP; Flow Vision; F_Port Trunking; FSPF; Integrated Routing; ISL Trunking; Management Server; Name Server; NPIV; NTP v3; Port Decommission/Fencing; QoS; Registered State Change Notification (RSCN); SAN Fabric Intelligence (SAN FI); Slow Drain Device Quarantine (SDDQ); Target-Driven Zoning; Adaptive Traffic Optimizer; Virtual Fabrics (Logical Switch, Logical Fabric); VMID+ and AppServer

Management and Diagnostics

• Management software: Advanced Web Tools; SANnav Management Portal and SANnav
  Global View; command-line interface (CLI); HTTP/HTTPS; RESTful API; SNMP v1/v3 (FE MIB, FC
  Management MIB); SSH
• Management access: 1000Mb/s Ethernet (RJ-45) port and serial console port
  (mini-USB with thumb screws, plus a mini-USB to RJ-45 adapter for regular RJ-45 console access)
• USB: one standard USB port for firmware download, SupportSave and
  configuration upload or download
• Diagnostics: Active Support Connectivity (ASC) and Brocade Support Link
  (BSL); built-in flow generator; ClearLink optics and cable diagnostics including link
  traffic/latency/distance; Fabric Performance Impact Monitoring (FPI); flow mirroring; dual
  Forward Error Correction (FEC); frame viewer; IO Insight for SCSI and NVMe monitoring; Monitoring
  and Alerting Policy Suite (MAPS); non-disruptive daemon restart; optics health monitoring; POST
  and embedded online/offline diagnostics including environmental monitoring, FCping and Pathinfo;
  power monitoring; RAStrace logging; Rolling Reboot Detection (RRD); SAN Fabric Intelligence (SAN
  FI); Syslog/Audit Log; VM Insight

Physical Specifications

• Enclosure: front-to-back airflow with non-port-side exhaust, or back-to-front
  airflow with non-port-side intake, both 1U with power from the rear
• Height x width x depth: 4.37 cm x 44.00 cm x 39.68 cm (1.72 in. x 17.32 in.
  x 15.62 in.)
• Weight: 8.39 kg (18.5 lb) with two power supplies and fans but no
  transceivers; 9.48 kg (20.9 lb) fully populated with transceivers

Power and Heat Dissipation

• Power supply: dual, hot-swappable, redundant power supplies with integrated
  system cooling fans, 80 Plus Platinum
• AC input: 90V to 264V with a maximum input current of 9.7 A; 50-60 Hz
  nominal, 47-63 Hz range
• Power consumption (240V input, 128G SWL SFP+ optics): idle 146W for an empty
  chassis; typical 262W with 28 optics at 50% traffic and 336W with 56 optics at 50% traffic;
  maximum 478W with 56 optics at 100% traffic, maximum fan speed and 40°C ambient
• Heat dissipation: typical 1,146.79 BTU/hr and maximum 1,638.28 BTU/hr at 56
  ports
• Availability: designed for 99.9999% availability, with self-healing
  capabilities, built-in congestion management and set-and-forget automation

Environmental Specifications

• Operating temperature: 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F)
• Non-operating temperature: -25°C to 70°C (-13°F to 158°F)
• Humidity: 8% to 90% non-condensing, operating and non-operating
• Operating altitude: up to 3,000 m (9,842 ft); storage altitude up to 12 km
  (39,370 ft)
• Shock: operating up to 10G, 11 ms half-sine; non-operating up to 40G, 18 ms
  half-sine on three axes
• Vibration: operating 1.0 Grms sine and 0.40 Grms random, 5.9-500 Hz;
  non-operating 2.4 Grms sine and 1.2 Grms random, 5.9-500 Hz

Services and Warranty

Dell Technologies Services cover the full lifecycle of a SAN build-out: Consulting Services for design and planning, ProDeploy Enterprise Suite for deployment through planning, configuration and complex integrations, Residency and Managed Services for ongoing operations, and ProSupport Enterprise Suite for expert support backed by proactive and predictive AI tools.

Ordering

Configuration, availability and lead time depend on the required model, port count, optics and delivery destination. Send your requirement to receive a quotation.