Full text on: http://www.brocade.com/downloads/doc...i3d.net-ss.pdf

Interactive 3D (i3D.net) is a worldwide cloud services company specializing in online gaming networks. It provides managed infrastructure on demand—including the data center, network infrastructure, servers, monitoring, and services—for gaming leaders such as Electronic Arts, THQ, ID Software, S2 Games, and Ubisoft. Online players can choose from the most popular game platforms, including Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PC-based games, and mobile games on Android and iOS. The company has also created its own control panel management software for gaming solutions.

Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, i3D.net manages data centers around the globe. The company has 8500 servers in 16 Points of Presence (PoPs) worldwide, and has seen its network utilization increase from 2.5 Gbps in 2009 to 100 Gbps in 2012.


ROOM FOR GROWTH

The company got what it needed with its Brocade networking architecture and is pleased with the results. "We need the most 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports in one router and the ability to move to 100 Gigabit Ethernet," Koster says. "You can’t scale up if your hardware won’t let you. Buying small routers doesn’t work in our environment, where performance is key and network traffic is routed through the shortest and fastest paths."

The architecture provides massive scalability. "We operate a best-of-class network with direct peering with more than 1000 ISPs worldwide," says Koster. Every rack with 44 servers connects to Brocade VDX ® Data Center Switches. Brocade MLXe Series routers are in the core, and Brocade NetIron® XMR Series routers handle Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS). Brocade NetIron CER 2000 Series routers are in smaller locations, such as Sydney and Rio de Janeiro.


MOVING FORWARD

For its next infrastructure upgrade, i3D.net plans to pass the 10,000 server mark and deploy 100 GbE ports in its networking infrastructure. Hitting this target would prove that i3D.net is a leading worldwide game server provider.

"Our investment in Brocade is long term," Koster says. "We sought a solution we could grow into, and the Brocade network has fueled our expansion of 100 percent per year. And we haven’t had to change the network architecture to achieve this growth—it’s been very stable."