User:FTS-NETS-WORKS/Sandbox

= IBP = IBP stands for "Intelligent Blade Panel". It is developed by Fujitsu Technology Solutions (FTS) and one of three available software modes (beside "Switch-mode" and "End-Host-Mode") for Fujitsu Primergy BX900/BX400 ethernet Connection Blades (CB). CB is the I/O hardware module for Primergy BX900/400 servers. It is possible to switch an ethernet CB in one of the three available modes mentioned above via software command.

IBP combines the advantages of a standard blade switch (port-consolidation) and a pass-through (transparency). It eases the STP (Spanning Tree Protocol) and VLAN administration, espacially in server virtualized environments (Vmware Vsphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, ect..). IBP intends to be in server administration domain (rather than in network administration domain) due to its proprietary cli (command line interface), which is optimized to the needs of a server administrator.

STP implementation
There is no Spanning Tree Protocol implemented and thus no STP interference with the customer network. No packets containing STP information (so called "BPDUs", Bridge Protocol Data Units) egresses the CB. On the other hand, IBP is inherently loop-free. It is not possible to generate a data-loop due to wrong configuration, wrong cabling, or software failure.

VLAN implementation
VLANs are fowarded transparently by default. That means VLANs configured on the upstream switch (normally the customer switch) are forwarded to the blade-servers by the IBP in a transparent way. There is no need to administer VLANs within the IBP. As an option, VLANs can be administered with the same flexibility like a standard switch.