NEC S2900 Storage Array

NEC Updated: 2008-04-14 RSS
NEC S2900 Storage Array

NEC's S2900 Storage Array delivers high-end performance accommodating the most demanding environments when both a large compliment of hosts and considerable data storage is required. Support for mixed SATA/FC configuration meets the demands of differing quality of service requirements. The S2900 supports up to 16GB of partition-able cache, eight high speed 4Gbps host connections, high-performance RAID processors, and inter-controller communication at 4Gbps.

A high-end array for the SMB, NEC's S2900 Storage Array can be configured from 4 to 240 disk drives with a maximum capacity of 108TB. RAID-6 technology is included to ensure continued operation even if errors occur in two hard disks at the same time. This technology greatly enhances the availability of the disk array and can be used together with other storage pools such as RAID-1 and RAID-5.

High-performance RAID Processors
High-performance ASIC RAID processors enable inter-controller communication at 4Gbps which utilizes shared memory. These features not only enhance the performance of the system, but helps with dynamic load balancing of the host interfaces. The switch-based disk enclosures allow for high-speed access to the disk drives being used.

Standard Eight FC Host Ports, Four Gbps Each
Up to four servers with dual paths can be connected without an FC switch, enabling a simple and low-cost configuration. For larger configurations, one to two fabric switches are installed between the storage device and host systems.

High-end Functionality on a Mid-range Array
NEC's S2900 Storage Array offers many features usually available only on high-end products, such as remote data replication for disaster recovery, storage pooling for easier storage capacity expansion, reconfiguration, and disk cache partitioning to insure quality of service for required applications.

Component Redundancy
Redundancy with field-replaceable, hot-swapping is provided for all major components such as controllers, cache memory, power supplies, battery backup units, and fans - insuring business up-time even in the rare event of a component failure.

RAID-6 Technology
RAID-6 technology ensures continued operation even if errors occur in two hard drives at the same time. RAID-6 greatly enhances the availability of the disk array, and can be used together with RAID-1 and RAID-5 storage pools. RAID-6 records two parity values, P and Q, which are generated by two independent equations made from the data. NEC's S2900 Storage Array contains a new ASIC LSI RAID processor, which carries out the complex RAID operations. RAID-6 provides high performance and keeps the device highly reliable.

DynamicPool
Traditionally, logical disks could only be managed in units of the physical sets of disks that made up the RAID, users had to install a fixed number of disks even if they were not necessary. The new dynamic pool function permits logical disk capacities to be changed dynamically. Physical disks can be added one at a time. The logical disks required can be managed efficiently, and the system is free from physical restrictions.

Phoenix Technology for Advanced Preventative Maintenance
Using Phoenix Technology, a disk drive causing a delay in response can be separated from the RAID pool, and a background diagnosis automatically performed. If no defects are found, the drive can be returned to the original RAID configuration without the need for switching to a hot spare disk.

Flexible Equipment Configuration and High Scalability
Flexible hard disk drive options are offered to meet a wide variety of needs:
73 GB FC (15,000 rpm)
147 GB FC (10,000 and 15,000 rpm)
300 GB FC (10,000 rpm)
500 GB SATA (7,200 rpm)

In addition, the S2900 Storage Array has dual controllers, supports SATA 500GB drives and can be intermixed with FC drives within the same array. RAID-1, RAID-5, RAID-10, RAID-50, and RAID-6 can be installed in mixed configurations. Eight host FC ports are built-in as a standard. A maximum of 15 additional disk enclosures, each capable of mounting 15 disk drives can be connected to equate to 240 HDD. The S2900 Storage Array can support 2 GB to 8 GB of cache per controller, for a total of up to 16 GB of cache memory.

StorageManager
StorageManager is the integrated storage software package that provides basic control to NEC's S2900 Storage Array. This software features GUI display for the configuration, monitoring, error reporting, and performance information on logical disks and controllers.

AccessControl (optional)
Access to the logical disks can be set for individual ports or hosts (LUN masking).

PerformanceMonitor (optional)
Includes real-time status of information on the array's performance, load monitoring, and statistical analysis.

ReplicationSuite (DDR+DSV) (optional)
DDR or Dynamic Data Replication provides for full copies of LUNs. Generally these copies are fractured and re-assigned to other connected hosts for such needs as batch processing, testing with production data, or even parallel backup. DSV or Dynamic Snap Volume provides for a copy of the changed data between two points in time (PIT). This technology facilitates advanced recovery of data from up to 16 earlier states without the need to locate and search through traditional tape medium. Since only the changed data is written, cost savings is realized over the full copy methodology.

Remote Data Replication (optional)
Replicates business volumes defined for each logical disk, enabling use of replicated data at a remote site.

RemoteDataReplication/DisasterRecovery (optional)
Replicate from a remote location as part of a basic disaster recovery system where RPO and RTO are critical business requirements.