All-Flash vs Hybrid Storage: Unraveling the Differences
Data Storage is a critical component of the MSP infrastructure. The storage must deliver high performance efficient capacity utilization and scale easily. It must have a modular design and scalability to enable purchasing only what is needed when it is needed. No single point of failure should exist, and failed components must be replaceable without interruption of services. AC&NC offers US-based support via email/phone and remote configuration troubleshooting for its JetStor all-flash and hybrid storage solutions which are powered by QSAN.
A core focus of MSPs is in ensuring business services continuity by providing solid Service Level Agreements (SLA), customers should focus on their businesses, not the IT infrastructure or the operating system. We identify 5 key factors in choosing the most effective MSP storage:
- High Availability
- Data Backup and Disaster
- Data Backup and Disaster Recovery
- Easy Management
- Performance
- Capex Efficiency
High Availability
Technical progress keeps bringing storage appliances to new levels of reliability, although hardware failures still occur, they should not disrupt your services and applications. No single point of failure, modular design, has become an industry standard, allowing swapping degraded hardware components (Controllers, PSUs, FANs), without service interruptions. AC&NC offers RMA service, parts replacement, and spares here in the US.
The brilliance of QSAN Storage is in unified hardware design for all Flash and Hybrid Flash SAN series and JBODs, where all chassis components are interchangeable: Trays, PSUs, FANs, even controllers. Smart high-availability architecture increases efficiency in storing spare parts and reduces risks of down time even further.
Data Backup and Disaster Recovery
More than 65% of SMB has been impacted by cyberattacks, Clients’ data is the most important assert that MSP must protect. It is a critical point for MSP to have a reliable backup strategy. Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO) are two crucial factors when planning backup and disaster recovery. Today, MSPs must evaluate the potential disruptions to business operations as a result of disaster, determine RTO and RPO goals and create a strong and appropriate disaster recovery plan.
QSAN storage has been certified with all major software providers: VMware, Citrix, MS Hyper-V, KVM, Veeam, Commvault, Acronis, NAKIVO, and others. Moreover, QSAN includes its own powerful backup software, build-in backup and DR capable of backing up data from a server or from another peer QSAN storage.
Easy management
Time is money, and storage is becoming a commodity, therefore it should take minimal effort and time for deployment and maintenance. Storage products with reduced IT complexity and simplified management are one of the priorities for modern MSPs.
Another key component of the modern IT network is Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM), and it is essential for most MSPs. A proper RMM offers a set of comprehensive tools to monitor and improve all devices connected to the network and quickly fix any occurring issues. QSAN storage provides standard communication protocols such as RESTful API or SNMP to seamlessly integrate into different RMM systems.
QSAN storage is extremely simple to manage and the secret is in an intuitive user interface jointly built with key customers of the company. Also, QSAN has recently released its first Centralized Management System that helps manage all its storage devices through one dashboard, greatly reduces IT management efforts, and allows it to focus on the core business services.
Performance
Data storage for business continuity is based on principles of sufficient performance. Running mission-critical applications without delays, and offering high enough speeds for IOT and AI require powerful hardware and extreme software optimization. More MSPs get involved in the trend of providing high-performance IT infrastructure. Key storage performance indicators include:
-
Throughput
The amount of data can be transferred in a period of time. Throughput is the best measurement tool for applications like media servers or streaming services.
-
IOPs
IO operations per second, which means the number of storage operations can be done in one second. This index is a great way to measure the performance of applications like databases.
-
Latency
Latency is the time between sending a command and receiving a response. It means how quickly an application can reply to the request. Time-sensitive service like online transaction processing system requires very low latency to provide real-time service.
Based on identified performance indicators, MSPs can choose the right storage solution to meet the requirements. QSAN offers incredible levels of optimization. Performance QSAN arrays demonstrate is unseen among SMB Storage. Up to 700,000 IOPS under 1 millisecond (RND Read, 4K) can be achieved by hybrid and flash flagship controllers, offering the most futureproof performance. The wide range of controllers allows MSP to select the ideal storage:
Hybrid storage: QSAN storage provides flexibility for different performance requirements in SAN and NAS environments. High-speed Solid-State Drives (SSD) can be applied for mission-critical applications and low-cost, high-density hard drives (HDD) for backup or archive.
Flash storage: An all-flash array (AFA) only uses the high-speed SSD for applications that require low latency and high IOPS. QSAN entry-level AFA is ideal and a good start for small-to-medium-size growing businesses, MSP can adopt to higher-level AFA after the business becomes matured and requires a higher-level device.
“We are running JetStor 826iXD AFA 60TB, JetStor XF2026D AFA 50TB for Hyper-V MS cluster hosting, servicing 120 VM’s for over three years. Performance has been amazing vs others we have used in the past. We are also running JetStor 824iXD HDDs 300TB unit for Veeam backups. It offers us excellent price performance as a backup appliance. We are extremely happy with the service and support by the AC&NC team.” ~Frank Hofsteden – Molnii.com
Capex Efficiency
An essential challenge for MSP is the need to grow revenue and reduce costs. Effective spending on IT infrastructure is key in the reduction of the overall capex and increase in business profitability.
Having more powerful storage allows running more VMs or VDIs per enclosure, and positively affects spending on IT infrastructure. However, for backup and disaster recovery it is more efficient to use lower-end storage.
The greatness of QSAN Storage Solutions is in product diversity and again unified hardware design. QSAN customers can deploy some of the industry’s fastest hybrid flash or all-flash SANs as primary storage, use entry SANs for backup with native or 3rd party replication, and NASs for disaster recovery sites. All can be managed through one centralized management software, and SANs will share most of the hardware components (fans, PSUs, trays).
AC&NC is offering 12-month no-interest payment plans, as well as 24 and 36-month plans. All SANs and NASs can be scaled up with JBODs. SANs offer virtual RAID allowing to add of drives directly to the RAID group without the need of moving any data. AC&NC provides full configuration testing and warranty service with SSDs and HDDs.
XCubeFAS
QSAN offers the fastest entry-level all-flash array. With the Active-Active design and ultra-high performance of XCubeFAS, MSPs can provide uncompromising performance to fulfill clients’ mission-critical application needs. AC&NC is offering special configurations for MSPs with three models available AFA 50TB, 100TB, and 200TB of All Flash with the ability to grow to multiple PBs levels.
XCubeSAN
XCubeSAN delivers comprehensive storage functionality and brings enterprise-level features to SMB and Enterprise businesses with high performance, high availability, and unparalleled scalability. Find a hybrid storage system here.
“Stellar has been using Qty 10 JetStor’s AFA to power VMware VDI and DR Services for its customers for the past 2 years. The unbeatable performance for the price truly differentiates itself in the SAN Storage Market” ~ Wayne Johnson, CEO, stellar.tech
XCubeNAS
XCubeNAS provides all the data services you need for everyday operation. With an enterprise-level file system and advanced business features, XCubeNAS provides a reliable storage solution and offer a completed backup service for MSP storage. Learn more about XCubeNAS.