HP Virtual Connect replaces storage network
At the beginning of June in Las Vegas, the HP Discover 2012 conference introduced the new HP Virtual Connect technology , which connects the HP BladeSystem server blades to HP 3PAR storage systems using the Direct Attached Storage (DAS) model.
Until now, DAS was most often used with entry-level storage systems to which one or several servers are connected. HP Virtual Connect has expanded the capabilities of DAS to the level of enterprise systems, and now it can be used for large-scale implementation of virtualization based on a combination of HP BladeSystem and HP 3PAR.
As a result of using DAS, customers get rid of the need to purchase expensive SAN network equipment, as well as train their system administrators in all the intricacies of configuring and maintaining the Fiber Channel fabric. HP estimates that after switching to DAS using HP Virtual Connect, the cost of the components of the network infrastructure of data centers is reduced by up to 90% (because not only Fiber Channel switches and cables, but also HBA adapters for servers do not need to be purchased) as HP BladeSystem blades are equipped with FlexFabric adapters). At the same time, the time required for allocating disk space to the blade servers is reduced by a factor of two and a half. In tests that HP engineers conducted, this whole procedure took no more than 10 minutes. Reducing the number of “hops” between Fiber Channel equipment also leads to an improvement in latency by 55%.
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The new Direct Attach functionality will be available in the second half of the year after updating Virtual Connect FlexFabric microcode, which owners of these modules can download for free.
Until now, DAS was most often used with entry-level storage systems to which one or several servers are connected. HP Virtual Connect has expanded the capabilities of DAS to the level of enterprise systems, and now it can be used for large-scale implementation of virtualization based on a combination of HP BladeSystem and HP 3PAR.
As a result of using DAS, customers get rid of the need to purchase expensive SAN network equipment, as well as train their system administrators in all the intricacies of configuring and maintaining the Fiber Channel fabric. HP estimates that after switching to DAS using HP Virtual Connect, the cost of the components of the network infrastructure of data centers is reduced by up to 90% (because not only Fiber Channel switches and cables, but also HBA adapters for servers do not need to be purchased) as HP BladeSystem blades are equipped with FlexFabric adapters). At the same time, the time required for allocating disk space to the blade servers is reduced by a factor of two and a half. In tests that HP engineers conducted, this whole procedure took no more than 10 minutes. Reducing the number of “hops” between Fiber Channel equipment also leads to an improvement in latency by 55%.
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The new Direct Attach functionality will be available in the second half of the year after updating Virtual Connect FlexFabric microcode, which owners of these modules can download for free.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/146494/
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