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QLogic Learns Brocade Lingo: Page 3 of 4

Meanwhile, Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) is also said to have developed the ability to let its MDS 9000-series switches operate with Brocade gear in native mode, our sources say. Cisco spokesman John Noh says he is unaware of any such project.

It should be noted that other Fibre Channel vendors have implemented nonstandard, "extended" features that don't work with other vendors' switches. For example, Cisco's proprietary Virtual SAN (VSAN) feature, which lets users create isolated fabrics running on the same physical infrastructure, does not extend across third-party switches (see Cisco's VSANs: Hype or Innovation?).

Randy Kerns, senior analyst at storage consulting firm Evaluator Group, says all the Fibre Channel switch vendors take advantage of "flexibility" in the FC-SW-2 specification to create differentiating features. "The important thing is that they have the ability to interoperate if you so choose," he says. "There's nothing nefarious here -- just competition."

But others believe Brocade, in particular, is still actively trying to inhibit interoperability in order to protect its installed base. Earlier this year, Brocade was the only FC switch vendor that refused to participate in the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA)'s multivendor switch interoperability demonstration (see Brocade Snubs Multivendor Demo).

"The real question is that if Cisco or QLogic can make this work from their end, why can't Brocade make this work on their end?" says our source. "Of course, they could... They're doing it to hold on to their turf. They're blocking instead of innovating."