SAS Switch Enables SAN-Like Enterprise Storage at a Fraction of the Price
Original Article Date: 2012-02-01
Enterprise storage comes in many forms. From Direct Attached Storage (DAS), to
Network Attached Storage (NAS), iSCSI and Storage Area Networks (SANs). Which
one you select will depend upon your particular needs and budget. Typically an
IT Manager is looking for terabytes of storage that can be accessed in a
flexible but secure way from a number of different workstations or servers. All
of the above solutions, configured in a specific way, can deliver such a
solution, but the complexity and ease of how it is done can vary considerably.
The area of enterprise networking has generally lain outside the perimeter of
expertise that I have dealt with, and I have been generally critical of the many
"fly-by-night" NAS solutions that have arisen, so
I have limited the product range of enterprise storage that Electronics Nexus
has offered to just DAS (Direct Attached Storage).
DAS has the benefits of low cost, high simplicity and very high speeds.
But it has had the disadvantage of the storage being only available to the
machine it is connected to. Until now...
Leading storage controller manufacturer, LSI, recently released an intelligent SAS
switch, which allows up to 16 x 24Gbps SAS cables to be connected it,
from a multiple number of servers, to a multiple number of disk boxes or JBODs
(Just a Bunch Of Disks) - powered boxes that just contain power, a backplane to
connect to a SAS cable and lots of hard drives.
The LSISAS6160 Intelligent SAS Switch
The LSISAS6160 Serial Attached SCSI Switch
With this switch, DAS suddenly leaps from the confinement of one set of storage
boxes per server/workstation, to a fully realised SAN-like enterprise
storage suite, where multiple storage boxes can be controlled or accessed by
multiple servers and workstations.
Furthermore, with the various features available through the comprehensive
management utility included within the switch, multiple "zones" can be created
across one or more servers or storage boxes, which allow restrictions on
security and users custom configured by the administrator.
Example usage of the switch in controlling multiple zones to create SAN-like
behaviour
Pricing, Availability and Configurations
The switch comes in a half-width 1U box, enabling two to fit side by side within
a standard 19" rack cabinet when mounted on the optional 1U rack tray. This
makes it ideal for setting up an enterprise-level "SAN" within a standard rack
server environment.
Alternatively, the box can be used as it comes, sitting within a desktop based
environment, allowing controlled, zoned sharing of storage between workstations
and a central JBOD or JBODs.
Enterprise SANs offered by Tier-1 brands typically cost tens of thousands of
dollars. With the LSISAS6160 switch retailing at just over $2,000,
you now have SAN-like behaviour available at a tiny fraction of the cost. It
sounds a bit hard to believe, but I urge you to check out LSI's own
comprehensive articles on the switch and how it can be used, all launching from
the
LSISAS6160 main product page.
The switch is now offered with our standard
"SUSA" DAS product
line, and you will find it listed under "Network Capability" on the
configurator.
~
The introduction of the LSISAS6160 switch is perhaps the most exciting new
development to emerge in enterprise storage since the the launch of SAS
technology 5-6 years ago. It enables fully flexible, secure and comprehensive
sharing of storage across a range of servers, workstations and storage boxes at
a small fraction of the cost of premium branded SANs.
I urge you to check it out in more detail and see how it could help you with your
shared storage needs.
Best regards,
Ben Ranson
Chief Systems Engineer
Electronics Nexus
http://elnexus.com
ben@elnexus.com
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