Virtual top of rack
A well designed data center needs to respond with agility to the demands for flexible storage,
new applications and the shifting needs of a business and its clients. Efficient use of space,
low latency and effective energy management are all part of successful data center design.
In order to deliver these benefits to the data center, CommScope has developed MRJ21™
connector technology as an enabler of a virtual top of rack network architecture.
Virtual top of rack
Lower latency
Virtual top of rack is a data center architecture
designed to offer a flat, low latency, low cost and low
power Ethernet fabric.
Latency directly affects the agility of the data center in
terms of response times and service delivery. Defined
in terms of the time difference between a request for
an action and that request being delivered, lowering
latency is the ultimate aim of every data center owner.
Every time a packet of data is routed in a data
center, the switch or router through which it passes
interrogates the packet to decide the onward route
that it must take to complete its journey. This process,
and the recording of this process, can induce latency.
In a VToR architecture, having all the switching and
routing functions held in a single chassis in the core,
can reduce latency by removing routing overhead and
reducing path lengths between switches.
Lower cost, lower power
In this architecture, traditional top of rack (ToR)
switches (or fabric extenders) at the top of each rack
are replaced with passive patch panels and connected
back to a core router. This reduces costs versus a ToR
deployment by removing the need to purchase, power
and cool, two 24 port switches at the top of every
server rack in the data center.
Higher availability
Removing the need for powered switches at the top
of each rack helps improve the availability within the
data center as it reduces the potential number of
failure points in a channel and supports a simple flat
design concept.
Core routers
MRJ21
module
Category 6A
patch cords
MRJ21
trunk cables
MRJ21 blade
MRJ21 patch panels
CommScope’s pre-terminated copper
solution (MRJ21) for Virtual top of rack in
the data center
1 GbE server racks
2
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MRJ21 connector technology
Many of the V-ToR solutions on the market today
utilize MRJ21 technology designed and developed
by CommScope.
Deploying MRJ21 blades in a V-ToR router increases
port density as one connector terminates 24 twisted
pairs, which is 6 times the capacity of an RJ45
connector. Each router blade can house up to 8
MRJ21 connectors, leading to a density of 48 ports
per blade, with a maximum of 1,536 ports being
supported by a 32 slot router.
In summary, a customer deploying an MRJ21 line card
in a V-ToR solution can expect the additional benefits
of increased port density.
How can CommScope help?
As the developer of the MRJ21 connector technology,
CommScope is uniquely placed to support a V-ToR
deployment with a complete portfolio of MRJ21 cabling
and connectivity. This portfolio is complemented by the
industry’s most extensive range of standards compliant
fiber and copper products to support applications up to
100 Gb/s across your data center.
Using MRJ21 technology also leads to a huge
reduction in horizontal cable volume as CommScope’s
pre-terminated MRJ21 cable assemblies use only one
thin cable per 24 pair connector, improving airflow and
reducing containment costs.
Everyone communicates. It’s the essence of the human experience. How we communicate is evolving. Technology
is reshaping the way we live, learn and thrive. The epicenter of this transformation is the network—our passion. Our
experts are rethinking the purpose, role and usage of networks to help our customers increase bandwidth, expand
capacity, enhance efficiency, speed deployment and simplify migration. From remote cell sites to massive sports arenas,
from busy airports to state-of-the-art data centers—we provide the essential expertise and vital infrastructure your
business needs to succeed. The world’s most advanced networks rely on CommScope connectivity.
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Visit our website or contact your local CommScope representative for more information.
© 2017 CommScope, Inc. All rights reserved.
All trademarks identified by ® or ™ are registered trademarks or trademarks, respectively, of CommScope, Inc. This document is for planning purposes only and is not intended to modify
or supplement any specifications or warranties relating to CommScope products or services. CommScope is committed to the highest standards of business integrity and environmental
sustainability, with a number of CommScope’s facilities across the globe certified in accordance with international standards, including ISO 9001, TL 9000, and ISO 14001. Further information
regarding CommScope’s commitment can be found at www.commscope.com/About-Us/Corporate-Responsibility-and-Sustainability.
BR-111148-EN (02/17)