The first 25GbE network switch for data centers from YADRO: a quick review

Hi %USERNAME%, this is the mClouds team. While the market supply is limited right now, we are constantly looking at suitable hardware to expand our cloud infrastructure. YADRO recently introduced the KORNFELD D1156 data center network switch, and we took it for testing.

We already use YADRO servers in hybrid infrastructure projects, and we have a good opinion of the quality of the equipment. Therefore, when a data center switch with 25 GB ports for access and 100 GB for uplinks appeared, we decided to immediately get it in our own lab to take a closer look. The article will unpack the device and our first impressions of it.

What we knew about KORNFELD D1156 and its manufacturer

KORNFELD D1156 is the first data center-level network switch from YADRO. It belongs to the Leaf level and can be used as a rack-mounted ToR switch. Currently, we use 25/100 GB Huawei 6865 switches as such devices, and we were interested in looking at the Russian novelty in this segment. YADRO plans to expand the line of switches by the end of 2024, but for now we will evaluate the one that has already been released.

D1156 is manufactured at the largest full-cycle plant in Russia, Yadro Fab Dubna. The switch is designed for high-load network infrastructure of data centers, computing clusters and corporate data transmission networks.

The stated technical characteristics of D1156:

• switching capacity – up to 2 Tbit/s;

• processing of L2 and L3 traffic at the hardware level;

• traditional set of network protocols for data centers, including OSPF, BGP, ECMP, VRRP, MLAG;

• SSH, SNMP, REST API management interfaces;

• 48 SFP28 25 GB/s interfaces for server connection;

• 8 QSFP28 100Gb/s interfaces for connecting to upper-level switches.

The manufacturer has already included the switch in the Unified Register of Russian Radio-Electronic Products of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Now it can be used in state-owned companies and at critical infrastructure facilities.

For us, the presence of equipment in the registry is not critical, but there are several reasons why we were attracted to the Russian switch:

• direct support from the vendor;

• transparent scheme of work on warranty and service requests;

• regular software updates from official sources and without VPN;

• the ability to use the switch for customers who want the device to be included in the Ministry of Industry and Trade register.

In case of problems with the equipment, there are clear regulations: where to go for help, how long to wait for it – usually we are talking about a few hours, not weeks. And there is a clear algorithm of actions to get prompt support both at the switch software level and at the hardware level.

When there is no support from the vendor or it does not officially work in Russia, replacing faulty equipment can take months. Although the switches are duplicated in the cloud, without direct support from the manufacturer, the spare parts warehouse has to be increased. The internal team's response time to equipment problems that only the vendor can solve can also increase – for example, when problems arise in the switch software.

Another plus in the piggy bank of this switch is the reputation of the manufacturer. Since we are already working with servers from the Russian company YADRO, we decided not to wait for feedback about the switch from colleagues in the shop, but to test it ourselves.

What we managed to see under the lid

This is not the first switch from a Russian manufacturer that we have dealt with. We took some equipment for testing, and encountered others in our customers' infrastructure. For KORNFELD D1156, we first studied the documents and presentations in detail – YADRO has them well-designed. Therefore, we had a positive opinion about the device even before unpacking it. Looking ahead, we will say that our expectations were met.

When a large amount of equipment passes through you, it is difficult to be objective. You involuntarily begin to find fault with the execution of the device, the completeness and design of the documentation, even the quality of the housing paint. However, the D1156 switch is made at a level that many are accustomed to when working with foreign equipment of a similar class. So we did not find any serious shortcomings.

I was pleased with the manufacturer's attention to detail. Such meticulousness creates the impression that the critical functionality of the device is also thoroughly debugged.

Here's what specifically caught our attention:

• Hot-swappable cooling modules with 5+1 formula.

• Redundant and hot-swappable power supplies. Without component duplication, the D1156 would not be positioned as a data center switch, which is a must.

• High-quality silkscreen printing for all ports, modules and mounting kit holes with rack depth indication. Much attention has been paid to ease of use.

• Very detailed documentation in the package and on the website makes it easy to get to know the switch.

• Information tag with serial number, MAC address of the device and standard CLI access parameters.

• Packaging design and organically integrated logos of the YADRO company.

It is good that the manufacturer offers a choice of two types of cooling modules. Models with a blue handle, like ours, direct the air flow from the power supplies towards the ports — back-to-front. Others, with a red handle, take cold air from the ports and blow out hot air from the power supplies — front-to-back.

What did we expect to see under the case cover? The element base on which the switch is built: the characteristics of the central processor, the model of the switching chip. In the documentation, the manufacturer states the following:

• processor module based on Intel® Xeon® D processor, 4 cores, 8 threads;

• traffic processing module based on the Broadcom BCM56873 Trident III packet processor;

• 2 modules of RAM with 8 GB of SODIMM DDR4 standard.

We also wanted to look at the quality of component installation. It was interesting to see what level Russian production has reached and how strict the quality control is for devices intended for use in critical business infrastructure. We managed to see something through the “windows” of the cooling modules.

The first impression of the device is extremely positive, but it is too early to draw conclusions. We plan to conduct a full test, we will tell you about the results in the following articles. Ask questions in the comments and share your opinion.