Penguin Computing Announces New Arctica Line of Ethernet Switches for Software Defined Datacenters

Penguin Computing today announced its new Arctica line of Ethernet network switches, a branded suite of industry standard Ethernet switches that are offered with multiple networking software options and enterprise support. The Arctica line initially comprises the 48-port Gigabit Ethernet Switch Arctica 4804i and the 48-port 10 Gigabit Ethernet switch Arctica 4804x. A 32-port 40 Gigabit Ethernet switch is slated for Q4 2013. Based on industry standard Broadcom silicon, the Arctica products deliver performance and throughput comparable to the best in the industry. But in contrast to traditional monolithic switch offerings that are only available with a single, proprietary network software stack, Penguin offers multiple network software options. The new network switch offering is delivered as a complete turn-key solution and includes certified cables and transceivers and for all options Penguin provides global, enterprise level 24x7support covering hardware and software. Compared to traditional network products, Arctica based networking solutions deliver drastically reduced Capex and Opex and more flexibility without vendor lock-in. “The paradigm shift from high-priced, single-vendor offerings to open systems and software defined architectures is now transpiring for networking infrastructures,” said Charles Wuischpard, CEO Penguin Computing. “When this shift occurred in the server industry about fifteen years ago, we were at the forefront and we have been successfully delivering integrated, open solutions ever since. We are excited to now be one of the first providers of open, next generation networking solutions that offer drastically lower TCO and more choice for our customers.” While traditional network software stacks are available, as a Linux pioneer, Penguin is also providing the Arctica switches as the first products on the market that are also offered with Cumulus Linux pre-installed. Cumulus Linux is a complete Linux distribution for network switches. Users can leverage native Linux applications and tools for managing switch configurations as well as automation and monitoring tasks. The control and management planes are native Linux while the data path is accelerated using switching silicon. Existing and custom Linux applications run natively on the switch. With support for native Linux tool chains Cumulus Linux makes it easier for customers to develop new applications that solve customer challenges and enable further open source innovation. “The network world is moving from proprietary network stacks to an open ecosystem that offers more choice, cost-effectiveness and flexibility. Within this ecosystem our native Linux distribution Cumulus Linux enables customers to leverage existing Linux expertise and tools to build and manage their networking infrastructures at a much lower price point than traditional switch offerings”, said William Choe, Head of Business Development at Cumulus Networks. “Through Penguin’s Arctica network switches customers can take advantage of Cumulus Linux while enjoying Penguin Computing's enterprise level support and maintenance for switch hardware and software.” About Penguin Computing Penguin Computing is the largest private supplier of complete high performance computing (HPC) solutions in North America and has built and operates the leading specialized public HPC cloud service Penguin Computing on Demand (POD). Penguin Computing also applies its core expertise in the field of distributed large-scale enterprise computing delivering scale-out compute, storage, virtualization, and cloud solutions for organizations looking to take advantage of modern open data center architectures. Penguin Computing has been pioneering the concept of integrating and delivering solutions that are based on open architectures and comprise non-proprietary components from a variety of vendors. Penguin Computing’s Arctica network switches are the first products on the market enabling customers to individually select hardware and software components. Penguin Computing is also one of only five authorized Open Compute (OCP) solution providers leveraging this Facebook-led initiative to bring the most efficient open data center solutions to a broader market. Penguin Computing has more than 18,000 systems installed with over 2,500 customers in 40 countries across several major vertical markets.