Compliance with vSphere 5.1 and VAAI ensures JetStor SAS 724iF and 724IFD systems deliver superior performance and efficiencies in VMware environments.
Pittsburgh, PA, December 12, 2012. AC&NC, a provider of leading RAID storage solutions, today announced that its new JetStor SAS 724iF and 724iFD RAID arrays have passed certification for VMware Ready for vSphere 5 and VAAI (vStorage APIs for Array Integration). The certification enables the JetStor solutions to greatly accelerate storage performance in vSphere 5 environments while improving the scalability and efficiencies of virtual machines (VMs). By reducing server CPU cycles, the VAAI-compliant JetStor 724iF RAID arrays conserve hypervisor compute power for running VMs, thereby improving VM to host ratios, VM density, server efficiencies, and application delivery. They also speed such processes as VMotions, Storage VMotions, cloning, and VM deployments.
“Achieving VAAI compliance renders our JetStor SAS 724iF systems ideal for vSphere environments,” said Gene Leyzarovich, president of AC&NC. “They can enhance the value and administration of virtualized servers in even the most demanding networks. These solutions can speed storage and improve the utilization and productivity of servers. They also make function-rich storage provisioning as simple as plugging a cable into an available port on an Ethernet and/or Fibre Channel switch.”
VAAI from VMware integrates with vSphere to offload storage tasks from the physical servers running VMware virtualization to the storage array. It reduces redundant I/O paths and quickens the provisioning of new VMs, such as creating, starting, moving, and stopping VMs, as well as taking snapshots. Thinly provisioned arrays that are VAAI-compliant are given advanced notice when space thresholds are attained to avoid jeopardizing application performance and availability. They even can pause VMs when space is exhausted to permit administrators to add storage or migrate the VM to another device.
Real-World Benefits
Users report that JetStor SAS 724iF solutions deliver significantly improved performance in vSphere 5 environments. Cross IT Services & Solutions, LLC, a minority-owned provider of best-of-breed compute and networking consulting services, deployed a JetStor SAS 724iF RAID array in a VMware View 5.1 environment. The solution performed a provisioning operation across a pool of 15 machines in under 10 minutes, whereas a non-compliant array with twice the number of 15K disks and solid state drives (SSDs) needed almost 30 minutes to do the same work.
“What’s more, the AC&NC JetStor 724iF was four times faster in cloning operations than another legacy storage solution with four times the drives,” said Thomas A. Breakiron, Technical Services Manager, Cross IT Services & Solutions, LLC. “That’s amazingly fast. There's zero doubt that the VAAI acceleration makes a tremendous difference. The JetStors are winners.”
JetStor SAS 724iF RAID arrays feature four 8G Fibre Channel (FC) interfaces and two iSCSI ports to deliver block-level storage across IP or FC SAN networks. Their 24 bay design supports SAS and SATA disks up to three TB in capacity and SSDs of up to 800 gigabytes. They can scale to 96 TB in a compact 4U enclosure and offer extendable capacity up to 640TB using 7 JBODs, ensuring investment protection for even the most data-intensive organizations.
For state-of-the-art I/O performance, the JetStor SAS 724iF systems provide powerful Intel® Xeon® 64-bit processors, parity-assist ASIC, an iSCSI-assist engine, and a TCP Offload Engine. To bolster availability and data protection, they also are equipped with JetStor's completely cableless backplane-based design and dual redundant hot-swappable power supplies with two independent power inputs and turbo cooling fans. JetStor SAS 724iFD RAID solutions are furnished with dual-redundant active/active embedded RAID controllers for additional fault tolerance.
The JetStor SAS 724iF and JetStor SAS 724iFD RAID arrays are shipping now.
About AC&NC
Advanced Computer & Network Corporation designs, manufactures and markets high-performance, competitively priced RAID data storage systems. With a wide range of storage solutions for any computing platform and operating system, comprehensive free technical support, and rapid product delivery, AC&NC provides confident data protection to its clients ranging from workgroups to enterprises.
Major customers of AC&NC include the world's largest manufacturers, financial services firms, Internet companies, telecommunications and healthcare providers, educational institutions, government agencies, and the military.
AC&NC is focused on meeting the needs and exceeding the expectations of its worldwide client base. For more information on the JetStor family of RAID systems, please visit http://www.acnc.com.
Contact:
Gene Leyzarovich
AC&NC
5001 Baum Boulevard, Suite 680
Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA
+1 800.213.2667
Media Contact:
Harvey Yazijian
The Brisson Group
+1 508-655-3337