HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE

Transcription

2 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Table of Contents of Contents 1 Introduction 1 Explaining the Rapid Adoption of Hybrid Storage Arrays 1 What Makes a Storage Array a Hybrid Storage Array 2 The Value This DCIG Buyer s Guide Creates For Storage Purchasers 3 Executive Summary 5 How to Use this Hybrid Storage Array Buyer s Guide 6 Disclosures 6 Hybrid Storage Array Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria 7 The 8-Step Process Used to Score and Rank Hybrid Storage Arrays 8 DCIG Comments & Thoughts 8 The Business Value of a Hybrid Storage Array 8 Now is the Time 8 How a Hybrid Storage Array Differs From an All-Flash Memory Storage Array 8 How a Hybrid Storage Array Differs From a Traditional Array 8 Features Important in Selecting a Hybrid Storage Array 9 Caching/Tiering Capabilities 9 Consistent Application Performance 9 VMware Integration 9 9 Included Software 9 Crossing the Chasm by Disrupting the Market 9 Performance and Pricing 10 DCIG Observations & Recommendations 10 Best-in-Class Ranking 10 Recommended Ranking 11 Excellent Ranking 11 Good Ranking 12 Basic Ranking 13 Hybrid Storage Array Scores and Rankings 14 Overall Scores and Rankings 16 Hybrid Storage Array Models 17 Avere FXT Avere FXT DDN SFA Dell EqualLogic PS6510ES 21 Dot Hill AssuredSAN Pro EMC VNX EMC VNX EMC VNX EMC VNX EMC VNX Fusion io NexGen n5-50 Storage System 28 Fusion io NexGen n5-100 Storage System 29 Fusion io NexGen n5-150 Storage System 30 Hitachi Data Systems HUS VM 31 HP 3PAR StoreServ HP 3PAR StoreServ IBM Storwize V7000 Unified 34 Imation Nexsan NST5130 Unified Hybrid Storage System 35 Imation Nexsan NST5330 Unified Hybrid Storage System 36 Imation Nexsan NST5530 Unified Hybrid Storage System 58 Product Rankings Dashboard Appendices 37 NetApp FAS Nimble Storage CS Nimble Storage CS Nimble Storage CS Nimble Storage CS Nimble Storage CS420-X2 43 Nimble Storage CS420-X4 44 Nimble Storage CS Nimble Storage CS Oracle Sun ZFS Storage 7120 Appliance 47 Oracle Sun ZFS Storage 7320 Appliance 48 Oracle Sun ZFS Storage 7420 Appliance 49 Starboard Storage AC Starboard Storage AC Starboard Storage AC Tegile Zebi HA Tegile Zebi HA2100EP 54 Tegile Zebi HA Tegile Zebi HA Tintri VMstore T X-IO Hyper ISE 730 A-1 Appendix A Definitions, Explanations and Terminology B-1 Appendix B Storage Provider Contact Information C-1 Appendix C Author Contact Information 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. i

3 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Introduction Hybrid storage arrays are receiving much deserved attention for bringing low-latency, highcapacity storage to market at entry price points that make sense to many businesses. These Hybrid storage arrays enable businesses to move forward on initiatives that have otherwise been hampered by legacy storage system performance. In that regard, hybrid storage arrays enable them to improve the return they are calculating on their data center investments. Hybrid storage arrays are relatively new to the data storage market, with most participants in this market bringing out products over the last three or four years. Enterprise storage professionals are traditionally cautious about adopting new technologies; yet a recent survey of IT professionals in small to medium enterprises found that a majority were looking at hybrid storage arrays for their next storage purchase. In that regard, two out of three organizations with more than 250TB of total storage in virtualized environments had already implemented or were planning to implement hybrid storage arrays. 1 Explaining the Rapid Adoption of Hybrid Storage Arrays Hybrid storage arrays promise to deliver the dramatic performance benefits of an all flash memory storage array but at a lower cost since they utilize both flash memory and hard disk drives. In that regard, analysis has shown that for I/O rates of over 700 I/Os per TB, a hybrid storage array is more cost-effective than a traditional array while delivering much lower latencies. 2 Combining flash memory storage and high-capacity hard disk drives (HDD) in a single system accelerates access for a broader set of applications than can be housed on a smaller capacity all flash array. Hybrid storage arrays align more storage under a modern management umbrella. In that regard, storage becomes an investment with lower storage management cost. What Makes a Storage Array a Hybrid Storage Array Research for the DCIG Buyer s Guide on enterprise-level midrange arrays revealed that 75% of midrange arrays support flash memory in some form or fashion. 3 However, a hybrid storage array is not defined by the mere inclusion flash memory storage (e.g. solid state drive). Hybrid storage arrays are set apart by their software functionality. In that regard, hybrid storage arrays must support dynamic data placement in a hybrid storage pool defined by combining flash memory and traditional hard disk drives (HDDs). More than a dozen companies both startups and established storage system providers are now delivering hybrid storage arrays that implement this concept of dynamic data placement in a hybrid storage pool. The secret sauce the hybrid storage array providers bring to the table is a combination of storage architecture, hardware, and software features. The resulting hybrid storage arrays generally include some combination of the following ingredients: Large DRAM caches. (Some providers deduplicate and compress the cache, further increasing its effective capacity and the percentage of IO requests completed from cache.) Multi-core CPUs 1. Imation 2013 Report. State of Storage in Virtual Environments. 2. Floyer, David. Hybrid Storage Poised to Disrupt Traditional Disk Arrays. Hybrid_Storage_Poised_to_Disrupt_Traditional_Disk_Arrays#VM-Aware_Hybrid_Definition DCIG Enterprise Midrange Array Buyer s Guide 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 1

4 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Introduction (continued) Flash memory to provide low-latency storage, sometimes including both SLC and MLC in a single array Metadata stored separately from file data on high-performance flash memory Multi-terabyte HDDs to provide low-cost capacity Sophisticated caching and/or automated storage tiering software Storage optimization software. May include storage efficiency capabilities like deduplication, compression, and thin provisioning; commonly achieving a 6x to 12x multiplication of effective capacity. May also include capabilities that extend the reliable life of flash memory like coalescing writes to match erasure block sizes The Value This DCIG Buyer s Guide Creates For Storage Purchasers Like all prior DCIG Buyer s Guides, this DCIG 2014 Hybrid Storage Array Buyer s Guide does the heavy lifting for organizations as they look to purchase a hybrid storage array by: Listing each individual hybrid storage array model by storage provider Listing different hybrid storage array features, whether or not they are supported and, where appropriate, how they are implemented Weighting these features according to what organizations consider most important Scoring these features Ranking each hybrid storage array model Creating a data sheet for each hybrid storage array model The end result is that this DCIG 2014 Hybrid Storage Array Buyer s Guide gives organizations the opportunity to do at-a-glance comparisons between many different arrays. This will enable them to more quickly sort through the many arrays to identify a short list of products that meet their specific needs. Prospective purchasers can focus their product evaluation energies on those selected arrays and move more quickly to the competitive bid process. Note that this Buyer s Guide is not intended to be a substitute for bringing individual hybrid storage arrays models in-house for testing. That function should still be done, if possible, since every array will perform differently under different application workloads and data center environments. I hope you find that this Buyer s Guide meets its intended purpose in your environment. Ken Clipperton Senior Analyst 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 2

5 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Executive Summary As the next enhancement in the array market space, hybrid storage arrays have integrated data center storage efficiencies. Hybrid storage arrays are architected for the current realities of significant data growth, the highly consolidated and virtualized data center, and the business value of speed as part of their architectural design. Products evaluated in the DCIG 2014 Hybrid Storage Array Buyer s Guide offer features like inline deduplication, data compression, and thin provisioning. Each of these features enables an array to store more data and host more applications in less space. and data compression began in backup appliances, these storage efficiency features are generally available to primary storage. Traditional storage arrays offer those features, but at the cost of performance. Hybrid storage arrays simultaneously deliver both storage efficiency and high performance. Storage efficiency and high performance are not just bullet points on a page, they are tenets of a hybrid storage array. It is because of these performance-boosting space-efficient technologies that some expect hybrid storage arrays to overtake the mainstream storage array market very soon. 1 Although many early adopters embraced hybrid storage arrays to meet specific application performance challenges, hybrid storage arrays are now handling a wider variety of workloads and look to replace traditional storage arrays in data centers. Much like previous DCIG Buyer s Guides focusing on storage arrays, this Guide evaluates four core areas of a hybrid storage array: and Software, VMware integration, Hardware and Support. and Software carries the most weight in this Guide s scoring system because the secret sauce of the hybrid storage array lies in how it handles caching, data tiering (e.g. flash vs disk) and data efficiency (e.g. deduplication). and software deliver on storage intelligence. Hybrid storage arrays are capitalizing on that intellectual property to help buyers deliver improvements in application performance while simultaneously reducing the operation and capital expenses associated with managing storage. and Software tools further reduce expenses by enabling IT staff to manage storage on the virtual machine level, and to monitor and administer storage from within VMWare s vcenter management console. In the process of creating a virtual machine (VM) in VMware, a server administrator specifies storage for the VM. All array integration is handled by intellectual property a provider has built-in. In that regard, this VM-aware approach to storage management reduces expenses by minimizing time associated with routine storage administration and application performance diagnostic issues. Hardware is next in importance as far as scoring weight, with VMware integration coming in third. While provider support is an important purchase criterion, its scoring weight is lower than the other three categories. Because we expect hybrid storage arrays to replace existing enterprise storage arrays for many buyers, DCIG did assess the availability of enterprise level support options, including remote monitoring and remote problem resolution, and the availability of guaranteed 4-hour onsite response. Prices for the arrays in the DCIG 2014 Hybrid Storage Array Buyer s Guide range from starting list prices of under $50,000 all the way to the high six (6) figures. As in all Buyer s Guides, 1. Lowe, Scott. Hybrid Storage: Buy Now, Add Workloads Later and Enjoy Additional Value DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 3

6 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Executive Summary (continued) list price does not factor into a product s final score; however, the vast majority of the arrays trend towards a lower starting price, making a hybrid storage array a more affordable option than most might guess given its status as up-and-coming technology. It is in this context that DCIG presents its DCIG 2014 Hybrid Storage Array Buyer s Guide. As prior Buyer s Guides have done, it puts at the fingertips of organizations a resource that provides them with a comprehensive list of hybrid storage arrays that can assist them in this all-important buying decision while removing much of the mystery around how hybrid storage arrays are configured and which ones are suitable for which purposes. This DCIG 2014 Hybrid Storage Array Buyer s Guide accomplishes the following objectives: Provides an objective, third party evaluation of hybrid storage arrays that evaluates and scores their features from an end user s viewpoint Includes recommendations on how to best use this Buyer s Guide Scores and ranks the features on each hybrid storage array based upon the criteria that matter most to end users so they can quickly know which hybrid storage arrays are the most appropriate for them to use and under what conditions Provides data sheets for 41 hybrid storage arrays from 17 different storage providers so end users can do quick comparisons of the features that are supported and not supported on each hybrid storage array Provides insight into which features on a hybrid storage array will result in improved performance Provide insights into what features hybrid storage arrays offer to optimize their VMware integration Gives any organization the ability to request competitive bids from different providers of hybrid storage arrays that are apples-to-apples comparisons 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 4

7 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS How to Use this Hybrid Storage Array Buyer s Guide In determining how to best use the information contained in the DCIG 2014 Hybrid Storage Array Buyer s Guide, it is important to note that it is intended to help organizations in their purchase of a hybrid storage array by significantly reducing the time they must invest in researching product features and capabilities. The purpose of this Buyer s Guide is NOT to tell users exactly which hybrid storage array to purchase. Rather, it is to help guide them in coming up with a list of competitive products that have comparable features that meet their specific needs. It is also important for users to note that just because a product scored the highest in a particular category or is ranked a certain way does not automatically mean that it is the right product for their organization. If anything, because of the scope of the storage array models evaluated and analyzed, it may have features that are too robust for the needs of an individual department or organization. However, what this Buyer s Guide does is give users some sense of how each array compares to others classified as hybrid storage arrays, as well as offers additional insight into what product offerings are available on the market. DCIG recommends that you use this DCIG 2014 Hybrid Storage Array Buyer s Guide in the following seven (7) ways: Eliminate the painstaking research associated with coming up with a short list of hybrid storage arrays that meet their needs. This Buyer s Guide ranks, scores and contains data sheets for 42 different models from 17 different providers. Each storage array is scored and then ranked as Best-in-Class, Recommended, Excellent, Good and Basic based upon its score. On each array, 148 different features were evaluated, weighted, scored and then ranked. All an organization has to do is look at the scores and features of each product in order to come up with a short list of products for consideration. Identify comparable apples-to-apples hybrid storage arrays from different storage providers. In today s crowded storage market, it behooves organizations to get competitive bids from multiple storage providers. After all, when they compete, you win! But that tactic only works well when organizations know that they are receiving competitive bids on products that are roughly comparable. Using this DCIG 2014 Hybrid Storage Array Buyer s Guide, organizations can do a better job of accomplishing that objective. Separate the apples from the oranges. Just as important as doing apples-to-apples comparisons is identifying when an orange is thrown into the mix. Sometimes it is very difficult for an organization to know if it is truly getting a good deal when bids come in from multiple storage providers that include different models. Now organizations can refer to the scores and rankings of each hybrid storage array in this guide so they know when they are getting a good deal, a great deal or just a so-so one. Gain perspective on how models from less well known storage providers compare against established and better known brands. Anyone involved with storage at all has at least heard of and probably from EMC, HP, IBM and other well known storage vendors. This creates a certain built-in level of comfort when buying products from these companies and a corresponding built-in resistance to buying hybrid storage arrays from companies that are perceived as unknown quantities. This Buyer s Guide helps to remove some of that apprehension about buying from a less well known provider or even a less well known model from an established provider. Using this Buyer s Guide organizations can see how these models from lesser known companies as well as lesser known models from established providers stack up. Take advantage of normalized storage terminology. Every computing industry has a proclivity to adopt acronyms and jargon that is specific to its lexicon, but the data storage industry seems to go out of its way to not only use unfamiliar terms but refer to the same technology in different ways. This Buyer s Guide sifts through the acronyms and storage jargon and terms and normalizes them. This minimizes or even eliminates the need for users to try to understand all of the industry terminology. Do side-by-side comparisons. The product data sheets available from the different storage providers are rarely laid out in the same way or contain the same information. Some storage providers even have data sheet formats that vary from model to model within their 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 5

8 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS own product portfolio. This Buyer s Guide tackles the problem by creating a standard, easy to read data sheet for every hybrid storage array. In this way, product data sheets for individual products can be printed out, laid down side by side and then quickly compared. Justify technical buying recommendations to business folks. Nothing is easier for those on the business side to understand than a number. So at the top of every hybrid storage array model data sheet, a product score is included so the business side of the house can quickly see how the different storage array models compare. Disclosures Over the last few years the general trend in the US has been for both large and boutique analyst firms to receive some or all of their revenue from storage providers. DCIG is no different in this respect as it also receives payment for the different services it performs for storage providers. The services that DCIG provides include blogging, case studies, product reviews, executive white papers, full length white papers and special reports. For more information on DCIG, visit In the interest of being fully transparent, a number of the storage providers included in this DCIG 2014 Hybrid Storage Array Buyer s Guide are, or have been DCIG clients. This is not to imply that they were given preferential treatment in the Buyer s Guide. All it meant was that DCIG was aware that they offered arrays that might qualify for inclusion in this Buyer s Guide and that DCIG had more initial knowledge of their hybrid storage arrays. In that vein, there are a number of important facts to keep in mind when considering the information contained in this DCIG 2014 Hybrid Storage Array Buyer s Guide and its merit. No storage provider paid DCIG any fee to develop this Buyer s Guide DCIG did not guarantee any storage provider that its hybrid storage array(s) would be included in this Buyer s Guide DCIG did not imply or guarantee that a specific hybrid storage array model would receive a good score on this Buyer s Guide ahead of time All research was based upon publicly available information, information provided by the storage provider, and the expertise of those evaluating the information Because of the number of features analyzed, how these features were weighted and then how these hybrid storage array models were scored and then ranked, there was no way for DCIG to predict at the outset how individual hybrid storage array models would end up scoring or ranking DCIG would like to emphasize that no storage provider was privy to how DCIG did the scoring and ranking of the hybrid arrays. In every case the storage providers only found out the scores and rankings of its array model(s) after the analysis was complete. Hybrid Storage Array Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria This inaugural edition of the DCIG 2014 Hybrid Storage Array Buyer s Guide has incorporated input from key users and vendors into defining the criteria used to decide what arrays belonged or did not belong in this Buyer s Guide. This Buyer s Guide attempts to take into consideration as many of these variables as possible, but likely failed to account for all of them. While this may have resulted in a specific model not being covered in this Buyer s Guide when it rightfully may have belonged, DCIG believes the following criteria was consistently applied as we did our research and made our decisions. The rationale that was used to determine the inclusion and exclusion of specific models in this Buyer s Guide is as follows: Must dynamically place data in a storage pool that combines flash memory and HDD storage. Must support one or more of the following storage networking protocols: - Fibre Channel and/or oe - - NFS Must primarily function using storage local to the array, storage expansion units and/or its direct peers (more than a cloud gateway) 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 6

9 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Must support scaling to a minimum of 12 disks and 10 TB of raw capacity. This requirement may be met through the use of storage expansion units Must be available as an appliance that is available as a single SKU and includes its own hardware and software Must provide sufficient information for DCIG to draw a meaningful conclusion Must be generally available prior to September 1 sț A cut off date had to be put in place or this Buyer s Guide would never be published The 8-Step Process Used to Score and Rank Hybrid Storage Arrays To score and rank each hybrid storage array model, DCIG went through an eight (8) step process to come to the most objective conclusion possible. 1. DCIG listed out all of the features available on all of the hybrid storage arrays. Prior to selecting the features that were included in the final evaluation in the Buyer s Guide, DCIG went through and quantified what features hybrid arrays possessed. As part of this process, DCIG normalized the list of features available on hybrid storage arrays such that a common name for each feature was established. 2. DCIG established which features would be included in the Buyer s Guide and which ones would not. One of the goals of this Buyer s Guide was to try to only include features on each hybrid storage array model that could be objectively and authoritatively analyzed. For example, was evaluated as a feature instead of Usable Storage Capacity. While usable storage capacity is what users ultimately care about, a consistent objective answer cannot be arrived at as most hybrid storage arrays offer multiple RAID options and differences in data compression and deduplication by type of data yield site-specific usable or effective storage capacity. Therefore, Maximum was selected as the feature to be evaluated since an objective answer could be ascertained and supported. 3. The features were broken down into four general categories. The features included in this Buyer s Guide broke down into a total of four broad categories that are reflected on each hybrid storage array data sheet. These four categories include & Software, VMware Integration, Hardware, and Support. 4. Each feature had a weighting associated with it. The weightings were used to reflect if a feature was supported and potentially how valuable the feature is to an end-user compared to other options. For example, the feature is more of a Yes or No type of response whereas Methods covers a number of snapshot options. Each of these options is weighted and scored differently. 5. A survey that asked about all of the features scored in this Buyer s Guide was sent to each storage provider. Vendors were invited to complete the online survey. The survey elicits more data than was available on any vendor website to provide a more thorough analysis of each hybrid storage array. If a vendor did not respond to the invitation, a DCIG analyst filled out the survey on their behalf using the vendor s web site, other reliable publicly available information, and prior DCIG research where available. 6. All vendors were given the opportunity to review their data sheets before the final scores and rankings were determined. To ensure the information presented in this Buyer s Guide is as complete and correct as possible, DCIG provided each vendor a copy or copies of their filled-out surveys and the data sheets that appear in this Buyer s Guide without the scores and rankings on them. In this way they had the opportunity to validate the information and correct it before it was publicly released. 7. All of the features were scored based upon the information that was gathered. The weighting and scoring of the features were done by a DCIG research analyst. 8. The hybrid storage arrays were ranked using standard scoring techniques. One of the goals of this Buyer s Guide is to establish clear lines of differentiation between hybrid storage arrays with conclusions that are arrived at objectively. To accomplish this goal, the mean or average score for each classification was first determined and then the standard deviation. Using the mean of the scores from all of the hybrid storage arrays from which the standard deviation was calculated, DCIG developed a ranking for each array model based upon the following in each classification: 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 7

10 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Those models that were.5 or greater standard deviations below the mean were given the rank of Basic Those models that were.5± standard deviations above or below the mean were ranked as Good Those models that were standard deviations above the mean were ranked as Excellent Those models that were greater than 1.25 standard deviations above the mean were ranked as Recommended The model(s) with the highest score in each category were given the designation of Best-in-Class It is for this reason that in each category the number of models that achieved a certain ranking varied DCIG Comments & Thoughts Hybrid storage arrays use flash memory in combination with hard disk drives to create storage that balances performance, capacity and cost. Because the majority of the data will ultimately be stored on slower HDD instead of flash memory, the trick is to achieve consistently high performance without 100% flash. The secret sauce the hybrid storage array providers bring to the table is a combination of storage architecture, hardware, and software features. The Business Value of a Hybrid Storage Array Time is money, and old storage architectures take too much time. They are too hard to manage and can't keep up with customer needs or the random I/O demands of the virtualized data center. Desired business results are often hampered by inadequate storage system performance. Hybrid storage arrays promise to deliver the dramatic performance benefits of an all flash array at a lower cost than an all flash array. In addition, by combining flash memory and high-capacity HDD in a single system, hybrid storage arrays accelerate access for a broader set of applications than can be housed on a smaller capacity all flash array. Unifying more storage under one modern management umbrella adds to the benefits a business realizes from the storage investment, while subtracting from the overall storage management cost. Now is the Time Storage industry veterans from a number of companies recognized the opportunity to combine a new generation of server hardware, flash memory and HDD into a system that could enable IT to deliver the performance businesses seek at a lower cost than either all flash or traditional arrays. How a Hybrid Storage Array Differs From an All-Flash Memory Storage Array A hybrid storage array uses flash memory generally in the form of either PCIe cards or Solid State Disks (SSDs) in combination with hard disk drives to create server-addressable storage pools. Because not all storage in the hybrid storage array is flash, it is necessary to implement intelligent caching/tiering algorithms to place "hot" data in flash memory and warm/cold data on hard disk drives. The key concept is dynamic data placement in a hybrid storage pool that combines flash memory and traditional hard disk drives. How a Hybrid Storage Array Differs From a Traditional Array Many traditional arrays can incorporate flash memory as a cache or as a high performance storage tier. A hybrid storage array is architected for flash memory, and generally adopts a "flash first" approach to storage. In a hybrid storage array, caching/tiering algorithms are often combined with in-line deduplication and data compression along with cache hardware and specialized software algorithms to maximize the amount of storage I/O that is satisfied from high speed cache and flash memory. Because of the "flash first" design, many of the hybrid storage arrays contain only flash memory and high capacity multi-terabyte 7.2K RPM SAS or SATA hard disk drives. In that regard, hybrid storage array providers are bypassing expensive and lower capacity Tier 1 15K SAS/ and Tier 2 10K SAS/ hard disk drives, thus minimizing complexity and capital expenses. Hybrid storage arrays leverage the latest generation of commodity server hardware with multi-core CPUs and higher RAM capacities. This high-performance hardware makes it possible to implement data optimizations such as in-line deduplication and compression without impeding the flow of data. Features Important in Selecting a Hybrid Storage Array 1. Caching/tiering capabilities 2. Consistent application performance 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 8

11 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS 3. VMware integration 4. Performance monitoring 5. Included software Caching/Tiering Capabilities Design and implementation of caching/tiering capabilities is the most significant differentiator between hybrid storage arrays and all-flash or traditional arrays. Providers want to ensure that I/O requests are always satisfied from higher performing cache via tiering, particularly those associated with business critical applications systems. Providers employ several strategies to achieve optimum caching/tiering results: More DRAM cache than in traditional storage arrays In-line deduplication and/or compression of data in the cache and on disk Highest performance media for write cache (e.g. NVRAM, SLC, mirrored SSDs) Metadata stored separately from file data on high performance media Quality of Service (QoS) policies per VM/LUN/Volume that determine how read and write queues are serviced Separate and dedicated read & write caches Multiple physical or logical write caches Consistent Application Performance Some providers are focused on making their storage smart about application data. In that regard, users can simply rely on the system to do the performance management for them. Conversely, competing providers allow users to specify, measure, and enforce QoS metrics on a per VM/LUN/Volume basis in order to run critical application workloads simultaneously. VMware Integration Rethinking storage architecture is driven by virtualization. That rethinking is done based on the largest installed base provider for hypervisors VMware. In that regard, VMware provides application programming interfaces (API) for provisioning, management, and reporting. It is those APIs that make a difference in how servers and storage work together. hybrid storage arrays must take advantage of those VMware APIs. Visibility into the performance of the storage system is important for troubleshooting application performance problems when they arise. For example, some providers will implement VMware monitoring that reveals performance at the virtual machine level. Included Software Some providers sell their arrays with all software features already licensed. This creates one standard hybrid storage array package and reduces the number of decision points in the purchasing process. This simplified approach to licensing also increases the agility of an IT department in responding to changing business requirements compared to the traditional a-la-carte licensing model, and it is yet another aspect of driving administrative overhead out of the storage management process. This Buyer's Guide acknowledges the business value of included licenses by awarding a more points to products that ship with software features already licensed. Crossing the Chasm by Disrupting the Market Although the traditional storage providers have been slow to address this opportunity, most are now coming to market with hybrid solutions. Quite a number of startup companies were founded with the express purpose of delivering hybrid storage arrays that are engineered from the ground up to address the need of businesses for high performing, high capacity storage for virtualized infrastructures. These companies include Avere, Nexgen (now part of Fusion-IO), Nexsan (now part of Imation), Nimble, Starboard, Tegile, Tintri and X-IO. DCIG believes that hybrid storage arrays are ready to not only supplement, but to begin displacing traditional storage arrays in many data centers. Any business contemplating the purchase of a storage array should take a close look at these new alternatives to traditional arrays. Performance and Pricing Two factors that strongly influence buying decisions are performance and cost. So it may come as a surprise to those who look at this DCIG 2014 Hybrid Storage Array Buyer s Guide to see no performance benchmarks as to how any of the arrays performed and only high-level pricing information. There are two core reasons why performance or detailed pricing information are not included in this Buyer s Guide DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 9

12 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Performance will vary according to data center environment, the data being stored, and implementation decisions. So to introduce any type of performance metric would only result in the analysis and evaluations of the arrays included in this Buyer s Guide becoming more subjective, not less. The intent of this Buyer s Guide is to provide a near real time snapshot of the hybrid storage arrays currently available in the marketplace. If DCIG had tried to test and establish performance benchmarks for all of these arrays, the next generation of arrays from all of these storage providers could well be available before the testing was completed, making this Buyer s Guide obsolete before it ever saw the light of day. As for pricing, each data sheet provides only a starting list price for that array. These list prices had no bearing in the weighting of any array and are provided for reference purposes only. DCIG recognizes that features like price and performance are relevant and even key considerations when buying a hybrid storage array. However, it is also almost impossible for a third party like DCIG to objectively measure these features on a large scale. Therefore, evaluating these factors is a part of the buying process that is still best left to end users. DCIG Observations & Recommendations Best-in-Class Ranking Observations The Tegile Zebi HA2800 earned the Best-in-Class ranking among hybrid storage arrays evaluated in this Buyer s Guide. In comparison to its counterparts, this array stood out in the following ways: The best balance of strengths across all scoring categories. Recommended or Excellent in all scoring categories. Recommendation The Tegile Zebi HA2800 is the latest array from Tegile, and the first to support FlashVols. Tegile defines FlashVols as volumes that are pinned in flash memory so applications run at maximum performance without the potential for delay due to caching algorithms or tiering policies. The Zebi HA2800 can function either as an all-flash array or as a hybrid array with the addition of one or more expansion chassis. Tegile combines a Redirect on Write (ROW) file system with a proprietary Metadata Accelerated Storage System (MASS) technology that separates metadata from the primary data path and stores the metadata on high-speed memory devices with optimized retrieval paths. This optimizes functions such as deduplication, compression, RAID and snapshot pointers, while simultaneously accelerating all I/O. Tegile claims their existing clients experience a real world 3x-5x effective capacity from deduplication and compression. In that regard, deduplication and compression occur in front of the cache, they also boost the effective capacity of the already impressive 192 GB of cache. The Zebi HA2800 includes excellent data protection features that support per-lun automated snapshot policies complemented by replication. The Zebi product line s web-based management interface speeds deployment by making it relatively simple to define a particular LUN as backup target, virtualization store, database store or file server store with a single click. Accelerating storage administration in hybrid storage arrays is support of VMware VAAI integration. The Zebi HA2800 proved Excellent in this category supporting all VMware vsphere VAAI features evaluated by DCIG. The Zebi HA2800 provides unified storage through concurrent support for both SAN and NAS protocols. DCIG confirms this aligns Tegile s goal, to deliver a new generation of storage arrays that address all of the demands of the modern data center, backed by expert customer support. Tegile Company Profile: The Tegile management team has a track record of working together to build successful companies and products. The CEO and CTO worked together in similar roles at Perfigo. The management team also has experience at HP/3PAR, Pillar Data Systems, Cisco and Cobalt Networks. Tegile was founded in 2010, and is privately funded. Recommended Ranking Observations Tegile Zebi HA2400, HA2100EP and HA2100 and the EMC VNX7500, VNX5500, VNX5700 and VNX5300 round out the Recommended category. The Tegile Zebi arrays outscored all other arrays in and Software. As expected, EMC arrays captures the highest VMware integration 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 10

13 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS scores among all the arrays in this buyer s guide. These Recommended arrays distinguished themselves by: Complete feature set across the board, achieving Best-in-Class, Recommended or Excellent scores across all scoring categories All offer concurrent SAN and NAS, as well as concurrent and connections Recommendations The Recommended Tegile Zebi arrays all share the same Zebi Technology architecture and software as their Best-in- Class counterpart. These arrays are distinguished from one another by hardware capacities in terms of cache, CPU, flash memory storage and HDD storage. These Zebi-based arrays are distinguished from the EMC arrays by their in-line deduplication and compression of all four data stores DRAM cache, NVRAM cache, SSD and HDD. As with the Tegile arrays, the EMC VNX7500, VNX5500, and VNX5300 arrays are also distinguished from one another in terms of hardware capacities. The VNX arrays include comprehensive quality of service (QoS) and hypervisor/operating system support as required to fit into nearly any data center. Excellent Ranking Observations The hybrid storage arrays that achieved an Excellent ranking include the Oracle Sun ZFS Storage 7420, 7320 and 7120 Appliances along with the NetApp FAS3250, Starboard Storage AC4500, AC4000 and AC2000, and the Hitachi Data Systems HUS VM. These arrays were distinguished by: Recommended or Excellent scores in at least two scoring categories. Support thin provisioning and eager-zeroed-thick provisioning, with the licensing for these features included in the base package. Like the Recommended arrays, offer concurrent SAN and NAS, as well as concurrent and connections. Recommendations The Oracle Sun ZFS Storage 7420, 7320 and 7120 Appliances surprised us with their high scores. Oracle clearly is targeting these arrays and optimizing them especially for Oracle database and virtualization environments. The lack of VMware integration hurt Oracle in this report, though in October 2013, Oracle formally announced that it had licensed the VMware vsphere Storage APIs so we would expect to see support for vsphere soon. The Starboard Storage AC2000, AC4000 and AC4500 actually scored Excellent or Good across all categories; indicating that this hybrid-only startup has managed to bring a well-balanced set of capabilities to market. The NetApp FAS3250 and the HDS HUS VM are distinguished from the other Excellent arrays by their strong VMware integration, including support for all VAAI API s. Good Ranking Observations The arrays that achieved a ranking of Good mix startups and industry stalwarts. These include the Fusion-io NexGen n5-50, n5-100, n5-150 Storage Systems, the HP 3PAR StorServ 7400 and 7200, the EMC VNX5100, the IBM Storwize V7000 Unified, the Imation Nexsan NST5530, NST5330, NST5130 Unified Hybrid Storage Systems, and the Dell EqualLogic PS6510ES. The Good arrays were distinguished from higher and lower ranking arrays by: Every array achieved at least an Excellent ranking in one of the scoring categories Less complete features overall, with most earning just a Basic ranking in one category All except the Fusion-io NexGen n5 s offer multiprotocol, unified SAN and NAS storage Recommendation NexGen was acquired by Fusion-io during the development of this Buyer s Guide. NexGen was a customer of Fusion-io, using Fusion-io s PCIe modules to provide the flash memory for the NexGen n5 Series of hybrid storage arrays. The NexGen n5 arrays scored well across all categories except for VMware integration, achieving a Recommended score in and Software 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 11

14 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS features that beat out all but the Tegile Zebi arrays. The NexGen arrays are -only, SAN-only arrays. Basic Ranking Observations The arrays achieving only a Basic ranking include the arrays from Nimble Storage s CS200 and CS400 series, Tintri s VMstore T540, Dot Hill s AssuredSAN Pro 5000, and the Avere FXT4500 and the Dell EqualLogic PS6510ES. These arrays were distinguished from higher scoring arrays by: One protocol either SAN or NAS. Not unified storage. Maximum capacity of less than 400 TB No deduplication or workload prioritization (Qos), except for Tintri Limited VAAI v5 API support, except for Tintri Recommendation The Tintri VMstore T540 ended up with a Basic ranking, in large part because it represents a significant departure from the norm it does not fit neatly into our normal scoring metrics. Tintri has come to market with a very different approach that they call Zero Storage for virtualization. The VMstore T540 is a NAS-only VM-aware storage system that is managed from within the VMware vcenter console. There are no LUNs to manage. The Tintri hybrid storage arrays are VM-centric, with all management including provisioning, replication and monitoring being on a per-vm basis. The Tintri VMstore T540 is also the only array in this group to offer both in-line block-level deduplication and compression. The Nimble Storage arrays led the Basic category by achieving a Good ranking in both & Software and VMware integration; and by among the lowest scores in the Hardware category. While achieving only a Basic ranking, any of these Basic arrays may nevertheless be a very good fit for a particular business DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 12

15 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY S AND RANKINGS The scores and rankings for the hybrid storage arrays contain the following information: A chart that includes the scores and rankings for all of the products The mean and the standard deviation that were used to establish how each hybrid storage array was ranked A summary of the primary findings 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 13

16 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Vendor Support S for Servers and AND Virtual RANKINGS Platforms HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS RANKING 1. Tegile Zebi HA BEST-IN-CLASS 2. Tegile Zebi HA Recommended 3. Tegile Zebi HA2100EP Recommended 4. Tegile Zebi HA Recommended 5. EMC VNX Recommended 6. EMC VNX Recommended 7. EMC VNX Recommended 8. EMC VNX Recommended 9. Oracle Sun ZFS Storage 7420 Appliance Excellent 10. Netapp FAS Excellent 11. Oracle Sun ZFS Storage 7320 Appliance Excellent 12. Starboard Storage AC Excellent 13. Starboard Storage AC Excellent 14. Hitachi Data Systems HUS VM Excellent 15. Starboard Storage AC Excellent 16. Oracle Sun ZFS Storage 7120 Appliance Excellent 17. Fusion-io NexGen n5-100 Storage System Good 18. Fusion-io NexGen n5-150 Storage System Good 19. Fusion-io NexGen n5-50 Storage System Good 20. Imation Nexsan NST5530 Unified Hybrid Storage System Good 21. HP 3PAR StoreServ Good 22. EMC VNX Good 23. IBM Storwize V7000 Unified Good 24. HP 3PAR StoreServ Good 25. Imation Nexsan NST5330 Unified Hybrid Storage Good 26. Imation Nexsan NST5130 Unified Hybrid Storage Good 27. Dell Dell EqualLogic PS6510ES Good 28. Nimble Storage CS Basic 29. Nimble Storage CS Basic 30. Nimble Storage CS Basic continued on next page 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 14

17 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS S AND RANKINGS (CONTINUED) HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS RANKING 31. Nimble Storage CS Basic 32. Nimble Storage CS Basic 33. Nimble Storage CS420-X Basic 34. Nimble Storage CS420-X Basic 35. Nimble Storage CS Basic 36. Dot Hill AssuredSAN Pro Basic 37. Tintri VMstore T Basic 38. Avere FXT Basic 39. DDN SFA Basic 40. Avere FXT Basic 41. X-IO Hyper ISE Basic Total Number of Products 41 Rankings Highest Score Lowest Score Average (Mean) Standard Deviation Recommended Excellent Good Basic DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 15

19 Avere FXT 4200 Approximate Starting List Price: $99, BASIC BASIC BASIC BASIC BASIC (CONTINUED) Methods (QoS) Continuous / Policies Storage Providers 1 NFS, CIFS/SMB Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Active Cores (Max) 1 / 3.2 GB 1.6 TB / 8 6 / 2 / 8/16 Gb / RAID Options JBOD Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 4 SSD Optimizations SAS 6 Gb, SATA Caching 4 Hardware Warranty 1 Year Contract Support 3 17

20 Avere FXT 4500 Approximate Starting List Price: $159, BASIC BASIC BASIC BASIC BASIC (CONTINUED) Methods (QoS) Continuous System, VM / Policies Storage Providers 1 NFS, CIFS/SMB Concurrent & Active-Active Scale-out (Max controllers) 25 Cores (Max) 1 / 6,000 GB 3 TB / 6 TB 8 6 / 2 / 8/16 Gb / RAID Options JBOD Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 4 SAS 6 Gb, SATA SSD Optimizations 2 Caching System 4 Hardware Warranty 1 Year Contract Support 3 18

21 DDN SFA7700 Approximate Starting List Price: $50,00 $100, BASIC BASIC BASIC GOOD BASIC (CONTINUED) Methods (QoS) 1 System, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 3 1 NFS, CIFS/SMB Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Active Cores (Max) 6 64 GB / 6,400 GB 634 TB / 1,584 TB 8 8 / 8 / 8 8/16 Gb 8 / 4 RAID Options 1, 5, 6 Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 SAS 6 Gb, SATA SSD Optimizations 4 Caching System, LUN 2 Hardware Warranty 90 Days Contract Support 5 19

22 Dell EqualLogic PS6510ES Approximate Starting List Price: $159, GOOD BASIC EXCELLENT BASIC GOOD (CONTINUED) Methods 2 (QoS) Periodic System / Policies Storage Providers 2 12 NDMP NFS, CIFS/SMB Concurrent & Dual-Active Scale-out (Max controllers) 16 Cores (Max) 1 8 GB / 8 GB 2.8 TB / 48 TB 4 4 / 4 / 8/16 Gb / RAID Options 5, 6, 10 Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 SAS 6 Gb, SATA SSD Optimizations 1 Caching LUN Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 7 20

23 Dot Hill AssuredSAN Pro 5000 Approximate Starting List Price: $50,000 $100, BASIC BASIC GOOD GOOD GOOD (CONTINUED) Methods 2 (QoS) Periodic System / Policies Storage Providers Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Active Cores (Max) 1 8 GB / 14,400 GB 32 TB / 360 TB 8, / 8 / 8/16 Gb 8 / RAID Options 6, 10 Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 1 Caching 2 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 7 21

24 EMC VNX5100 Approximate Starting List Price: Under $50, GOOD BASIC RECOMMENDED GOOD RECOMMENDED (CONTINUED) Methods 5 (QoS) 12 Continuous, Periodic System, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 2 14 Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Standby, Dual-Active Cores (Max) 4 8 GB / 108 GB 142 TB / 225 TB 8 / / 8/16 Gb 8 / RAID Options 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 SSD Optimizations SAS 6 Gb Caching LUN 3 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 9 22

25 EMC VNX5300 Approximate Starting List Price: Under $50, RECOMMENDED EXCELLENT BEST-IN-CLASS EXCELLENT EXCELLENT Methods 5 Continuous, Periodic / File Post-process SSD, HDD System, Filesystem, Volume, VM Policies/ (CONTINUED) (QoS) Policies Storage Providers Dead Space 12 System, LUN 2 15 NDMP 5 NFS, CIFS/SMB,, NAS (NFS) Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Standby, Dual-Active Cores (Max) 4 16 GB / 516 GB 242 TB / 375 TB / 16 / 8/16 Gb 24 / RAID Options 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 Redundancy 5 SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 5 Caching System, VM, LUN 4 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 9 23

26 EMC VNX5500 Approximate Starting List Price: $50, , RECOMMENDED EXCELLENT RECOMMENDED EXCELLENT EXCELLENT Methods 5 Continuous, Periodic / File Post-process SSD, HDD System, Filesystem, Volume, VM Policies/ (CONTINUED) (QoS) Policies Storage Providers Dead Space 12 System, LUN 2 15 NDMP 5 NFS, CIFS/SMB,, NAS (NFS) Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Standby, Dual-Active Cores (Max) 4 24 GB / 1,024 GB 492 TB / 750 TB / 26 / 8/16 Gb 28 / RAID Options 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 Redundancy 5 SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 5 Caching System, VM, LUN 4 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 9 24

27 EMC VNX5700 Approximate Starting List Price: $50, , RECOMMENDED EXCELLENT RECOMMENDED EXCELLENT EXCELLENT Methods 5 Continuous, Periodic / File Post-process SSD, HDD System, Filesystem, Volume, VM Policies/ (CONTINUED) (QoS) Policies Storage Providers Dead Space 12 System, LUN 2 15 NDMP 5 NFS, CIFS/SMB,, NAS (NFS) Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Standby, Dual-Active Cores (Max) 4 36 GB / 1,536 GB 992 TB / 1,500 TB / 36 / 8/16 Gb 40 / RAID Options 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 Redundancy 5 SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 4 Caching System, VM, LUN 4 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 9 25

28 EMC VNX7500 Approximate Starting List Price: $50,000 $100, RECOMMENDED EXCELLENT RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDED EXCELLENT Methods 5 Continuous, Periodic / File Post-process SSD, HDD System, Filesystem, Volume, VM Policies/ (CONTINUED) (QoS) Policies Storage Providers Dead Space 12 System, LUN 2 15 NDMP 5 NFS, CIFS/SMB,, NAS (NFS) Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Standby, Dual-Active Cores (Max) 6 96 GB / 2,196 GB 1,992 TB / 3,000 TB / 76 / 8/16 Gb 64 / RAID Options 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 Redundancy 5 SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 5 Caching System, VM, LUN 4 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 9 26

29 Fusion io NexGen n5-50 Storage System Approximate Starting List Price: $55, GOOD EXCELLENT BASIC GOOD BASIC (CONTINUED) Methods 1 (QoS) 8 Periodic System, VM, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 6 2 Embedded Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Active Cores (Max) GB / 1,556 GB 1.46 TB / 160 TB 16 Block In-line 12 / 4 / 8/16 Gb / RAID Options 6 DRAM cache, NVRAM cache, SSD, HDD System, LUN, Volume, VM Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 PCI-e, SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 6 Caching System, VM, LUN 3 Hardware Warranty 90 Days Contract Support 8 27

30 Fusion io NexGen n5-100 Storage System Approximate Starting List Price: $88, GOOD RECOMMENDED BASIC GOOD BASIC (CONTINUED) Methods 1 (QoS) 8 Periodic System, VM, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 6 2 Embedded Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Active Cores (Max) GB / 3,236 GB 3.14 TB / 176 TB 16 Block In-line 12 / 4 / 8/16 Gb / RAID Options 6 DRAM cache, NVRAM cache, SSD, HDD System, LUN, Volume, VM Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 PCI-e, SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 6 Caching System, VM, LUN 3 Hardware Warranty 90 Days Contract Support 8 28

31 Fusion io NexGen n5-150 Storage System Approximate Starting List Price: $108, GOOD EXCELLENT BASIC GOOD BASIC (CONTINUED) Methods 1 (QoS) 8 Periodic System, VM, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 6 2 Embedded Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Active Cores (Max) GB / 4,896 GB 4.8 TB / 192 TB 16 Block In-line 12 / 4 / 8/16 Gb / RAID Options 6 DRAM cache, NVRAM cache, SSD, HDD System, LUN, Volume, VM Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 PCI-e, SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 6 Caching System, VM, LUN 3 Hardware Warranty 90 Days Contract Support 8 29

32 Hitachi Data Systems HUS VM Approximate Starting List Price: $150,000 $250, EXCELLENT GOOD EXCELLENT EXCELLENT GOOD Methods 4 Continuous, Periodic / Block In-line SSD, HDD System Policies/ (CONTINUED) (QoS) Policies Storage Providers Dead Space 2 System 2 12 NDMP NFS, CIFS/SMB,, NAS (NFS) Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Active Cores (Max) GB / 688 GB 154 TB / 4,608 TB / 16 / 8/16 Gb 48 / RAID Options 5, 6, 10 Redundancy 5 SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 5 Caching System 1 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 8 30

33 HP 3PAR StoreServ 7200 Approximate Starting List Price: Under $50, GOOD BASIC RECOMMENDED GOOD BEST-IN-CLASS (CONTINUED) Methods 3 (QoS) 3 Periodic System, LUN / Policies Storage Providers NFS, CIFS/SMB Concurrent & Active-Active Scale-out (Max controllers) 4 Cores (Max) GB / 48 GB 24 GB / 400 GB 24 Block Post-process, 8 / 8 / 8/16 Gb 24 / RAID Options 0, 1, 5, 6 SSD, HDD Volume Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 6 SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 6 Caching Volume 3 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 9 31

34 HP 3PAR StoreServ 7400 Approximate Starting List Price: Under $50, GOOD BASIC RECOMMENDED GOOD BEST-IN-CLASS (CONTINUED) Methods 3 (QoS) 3 Periodic System, LUN / Policies Storage Providers NFS, CIFS/SMB Concurrent & Active-Active Scale-out (Max controllers) 4 Cores (Max) GB / 64 GB 48 GB / 1,100 GB 24 Block Post-process, 8 / 8 / 8/16 Gb 24 / RAID Options 0, 1, 5, 6 SSD, HDD Volume Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 6 SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 6 Caching Volume 3 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 9 32

35 IBM Storwize V7000 Unified Approximate Starting List Price: Under $50, GOOD BASIC EXCELLENT GOOD BASIC (CONTINUED) Methods 4 (QoS) 2 Continuous, Periodic System / Policies Storage Providers 6 14 Embedded, NDMP NFS, CIFS/SMB Concurrent & Dual-Active Scale-out (Max controllers) 8 Cores (Max) 4 16 GB / # GB 768 TB / 1,920 TB 64, 20 / 20 / 8/16 Gb 32 / RAID Options 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 SSD, HDD Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 -SW, SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 1 Caching LUN Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 5 33

36 Imation Nexsan NST5130 Unified Hybrid Storage System Approximate Starting List Price: Under $50, GOOD BASIC GOOD EXCELLENT GOOD (CONTINUED) Methods 2 (QoS) Continuous, Periodic System, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 1 11 NDMP NFS, CIFS/SMB Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Dual-Active Cores (Max) 8 96 GB / 4,096 GB 4 TB / 124 TB 18, NAS (NFS) 18 / 8 / 8/16 Gb 12 / RAID Options 5, 6, 10 Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 SSD Optimizations -AL, SAS 6 Gb Caching System, LUN 5 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 7 34

37 Imation Nexsan NST5330 Unified Hybrid Storage System Approximate Starting List Price: Under $50, GOOD BASIC GOOD EXCELLENT GOOD (CONTINUED) Methods 2 (QoS) Continuous, Periodic System, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 1 11 NDMP NFS, CIFS/SMB Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Dual-Active Cores (Max) GB / 9,000 GB 8.8 TB / 1,440 TB 18, NAS (NFS) 18 / 8 / 8/16 Gb 12 / RAID Options 5, 6, 10 Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 SSD Optimizations -AL, SAS 6 Gb Caching System, LUN 5 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 7 35

38 Imation Nexsan NST5530 Unified Hybrid Storage System Approximate Starting List Price: $50,000 $100, GOOD BASIC GOOD RECOMMENDED GOOD (CONTINUED) Methods 2 (QoS) Continuous, Periodic System, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 1 11 NDMP NFS, CIFS/SMB Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Dual-Active Cores (Max) GB / 9,000 GB 8.8 TB / 5,040 TB 18, NAS (NFS) 18 / 8 / 8/16 Gb 12 / RAID Options 5, 6, 10 Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 SSD Optimizations -AL, SAS 6 Gb Caching System, LUN 5 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 7 36

39 NetApp FAS3250 Approximate Starting List Price: $50,000 $100, EXCELLENT GOOD EXCELLENT EXCELLENT GOOD Methods 2 Continuous, Periodic / Block Post-process HDD Volume Policies/ (CONTINUED) (QoS) Policies Storage Providers Dead Space System 1 13 NDMP 2 NFS, CIFS/SMB,, NAS (NFS) Concurrent & Active-Active Scale-out (Max controllers) 24 Cores (Max) GB / 2,040 GB 2 TB / 2,880 TB / 24 / 8/16 Gb 24 / RAID Options 4, 6 Redundancy 5 PCI-e, SAS 6 Gb, SATA SSD Optimizations 1 Caching System 2 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 7 37

40 Nimble Storage CS210 Approximate Starting List Price: $38, BASIC GOOD GOOD BASIC BASIC (CONTINUED) Methods 3 (QoS) Periodic System, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 5 7 Embedded Concurrent & Active-Standby Scale-out (Max controllers) 4 Cores (Max) GB / 2,400 GB 2.4 TB / 143 TB 6 4 / 2 / 8/16 Gb / RAID Options 6 DRAM, NVRAM, SSD, HDD Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 4 SAS 3 Gb SSD Optimizations 1 Caching LUN 1 Hardware Warranty 1 Year Contract Support 6 38

41 Nimble Storage CS220 Approximate Starting List Price: Not Listed BASIC GOOD GOOD BASIC BASIC (CONTINUED) Methods 3 (QoS) Periodic System, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 5 7 Embedded Concurrent & Active-Standby Scale-out (Max controllers) 4 Cores (Max) GB / 2,400 GB 2.4 TB / 147 TB 6 6 / 2 / 8/16 Gb / RAID Options 6 DRAM, NVRAM, SSD, HDD Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 4 SAS 3 Gb SSD Optimizations 1 Caching LUN 1 Hardware Warranty 1 Year Contract Support 6 39

44 Nimble Storage CS420-X2 Approximate Starting List Price: $ BASIC GOOD GOOD BASIC BASIC (CONTINUED) Methods 3 (QoS) Periodic System, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 5 7 Embedded Concurrent & Active-Standby Scale-out (Max controllers) 4 Cores (Max) GB / 2,400 GB 2.4 TB / 147 TB 6 6 / 2 / 8/16 Gb / RAID Options 6 DRAM, NVRAM, SSD, HDD Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 4 SAS 3 Gb SSD Optimizations 1 Caching LUN 1 Hardware Warranty 1 Year Contract Support 6 42

45 Nimble Storage CS420-X4 Approximate Starting List Price: $ BASIC GOOD GOOD BASIC BASIC (CONTINUED) Methods 3 (QoS) Periodic System, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 5 7 Embedded Concurrent & Active-Standby Scale-out (Max controllers) 4 Cores (Max) GB / 2,400 GB 2.4 TB / 147 TB 6 6 / 2 / 8/16 Gb / RAID Options 6 DRAM, NVRAM, SSD, HDD Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 4 SAS 3 Gb SSD Optimizations 1 Caching LUN 1 Hardware Warranty 1 Year Contract Support 6 43

46 Nimble Storage CS440 Approximate Starting List Price: $ BASIC GOOD GOOD BASIC BASIC (CONTINUED) Methods 3 (QoS) Periodic System, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 5 7 Embedded Concurrent & Active-Standby Scale-out (Max controllers) 4 Cores (Max) GB / 2,400 GB 2.4 TB / 159 TB 6 6 / 2 / 8/16 Gb / RAID Options 6 DRAM, NVRAM, SSD, HDD Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 4 SAS 3 Gb SSD Optimizations 1 Caching LUN 1 Hardware Warranty 1 Year Contract Support 6 44

47 Nimble Storage CS460 Approximate Starting List Price: $ BASIC GOOD GOOD BASIC BASIC (CONTINUED) Methods 3 (QoS) Periodic System, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 5 7 Embedded Concurrent & Active-Standby Scale-out (Max controllers) 4 Cores (Max) GB / 2,400 GB 2.4 TB / 171 TB 6 6 / 2 / 8/16 Gb / RAID Options 6 DRAM, NVRAM, SSD, HDD Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 4 SAS 3 Gb SSD Optimizations 1 Caching LUN 1 Hardware Warranty 1 Year Contract Support 6 45

48 Oracle Sun ZFS Storage 7120 Appliance Approximate Starting List Price: Under $50, EXCELLENT EXCELLENT BASIC GOOD GOOD Methods 2 Continuous, Periodic / Block In-line DRAM cache, SSD, HDD System, LUN, Filesystem, Volume, VM Policies/ (CONTINUED) (QoS) Policies Storage Providers Dead Space 1 System, VM, LUN 2 14 NDMP 2 NFS, CIFS/SMB, WebDAV Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Single Cores (Max) 4 8/16 Gb 6 / RAID Options 48 GB / 73 GB / 177 TB / 4 / 4 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, Proprietary Redundancy 5 SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 4 Caching System, VM, LUN 3 Hardware Warranty 1 Year Contract Support 9 46

49 Oracle Sun ZFS Storage 7320 Appliance Approximate Starting List Price: Under $50, EXCELLENT EXCELLENT BASIC EXCELLENT GOOD Methods 2 Continuous, Periodic / Block In-line DRAM cache, SSD, HDD System, LUN, Filesystem, Volume, VM Policies/ (CONTINUED) (QoS) Policies Storage Providers Dead Space 1 System, VM, LUN 2 14 NDMP 2 NFS, CIFS/SMB, WebDAV Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Standby, Dual-Active Cores (Max) 8 8/16 Gb 4 / RAID Options 288 GB / 3,800 GB / 432 TB / 4 / 4 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, Proprietary Redundancy 5 SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 4 Caching System, VM, LUN 4 Hardware Warranty 1 Year Contract Support 9 47

50 Oracle Sun ZFS Storage 7420 Appliance Approximate Starting List Price: Under $50, EXCELLENT EXCELLENT BASIC BEST-IN-CLASS EXCELLENT Methods 2 Continuous, Periodic / Block In-line DRAM cache, SSD, HDD System, LUN, Filesystem, Volume, VM Policies/ (CONTINUED) (QoS) Policies Storage Providers Dead Space 1 System, VM, LUN 2 14 NDMP 2 NFS, CIFS/SMB, WebDAV Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Standby, Dual-Active Cores (Max) 40 2,000 GB / 14,608 GB / 3,456 TB / 24 / 8 8/16 Gb 16 / 16 RAID Options 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, Proprietary Redundancy 5 SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 4 Caching System, VM, LUN 4 Hardware Warranty 1 Year Contract Support 9 48

51 Starboard Storage AC2000 Approximate Starting List Price: $30, EXCELLENT GOOD GOOD GOOD EXCELLENT (CONTINUED) Methods 2 (QoS) 1 Periodic System / Policies Storage Providers 10 Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Standby Cores (Max) 8 24 GB / 1,100 GB 1.1 TB / 171 TB 10, 10 / 2 / 8/16 Gb 2 / RAID Options 10, Proprietary DRAM cache, SSD Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 SSD Optimizations SAS 6 Gb Caching System, LUN 5 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 8 49

52 Starboard Storage AC4000 Approximate Starting List Price: Under $50, EXCELLENT GOOD GOOD EXCELLENT EXCELLENT (CONTINUED) Methods 2 (QoS) 1 Periodic System / Policies Storage Providers 10 Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Standby Cores (Max) 8 48 GB / 3,000 GB 3 TB / 576 TB 10, 10 / 2 / 8/16 Gb 2 / RAID Options 5, 10, Proprietary DRAM cache, SSD Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 SSD Optimizations SAS 6 Gb Caching System, LUN 5 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 8 50

53 Starboard Storage AC4500 Approximate Starting List Price: $50,000 $100, EXCELLENT GOOD GOOD EXCELLENT EXCELLENT (CONTINUED) Methods 2 (QoS) 1 Periodic System / Policies Storage Providers 11 Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Standby Cores (Max) 8 96 GB / 6,800 GB 6.8 TB / 576 TB 10, 10 / 2 / 8/16 Gb 2 / RAID Options 5, 10, Proprietary DRAM cache, SSD Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 SSD Optimizations SAS 6 Gb Caching System, LUN 5 Hardware Warranty 3 Years Contract Support 8 51

54 Tegile Zebi HA2100 Approximate Starting List Price: $60, RECOMMENDED BEST-IN-CLASS EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT (CONTINUED) Methods 2 (QoS) 2 Periodic System, VM, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 2 7 Embedded NFS, CIFS/SMB Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Active, Active-Standby Cores (Max) 8 48 GB / 648 GB 0.6 TB / 94 TB 20 Block In-line, 20 / 8 / 8/16 Gb 8 / RAID Options 0,1,5,6,10,60 DRAM cache, NVRAM cache, SSD, HDD LUN, Filesystem, Volume, VM Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 5 Caching System, VM, LUN 4 Hardware Warranty 90 days Contract Support 9 52

55 Tegile Zebi HA2100EP Approximate Starting List Price: $100, RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDED EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT (CONTINUED) Methods 2 (QoS) 1 Periodic System, VM, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 2 7 Embedded NFS, CIFS/SMB Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Active, Active-Standby Cores (Max) GB / 1,296 GB 1.2 TB / 94 TB 20 Block In-line, 20 / 8 / 8/16 Gb 8 / RAID Options 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 60 DRAM cache, NVRAM cache, SSD, HDD LUN, Filesystem, Volume, VM Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 5 Caching System, VM, LUN 4 Hardware Warranty 90 days Contract Support 9 53

56 Tegile Zebi HA2400 Approximate Starting List Price: $100,000 $150, RECOMMENDED BEST-IN-CLASS EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT (CONTINUED) Methods 2 (QoS) 2 Periodic System, VM, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 2 7 Embedded NFS, CIFS/SMB Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Active, Active-Standby Cores (Max) GB / 2,296 GB 2.2 TB / 65 TB 20 Block In-line, 20 / 8 / 8/16 Gb 8 / RAID Options 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 60 DRAM cache, NVRAM cache, SSD, HDD LUN, Filesystem, Volume, VM Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 5 Caching System, VM, LUN 5 Hardware Warranty 90 days Contract Support 9 54

57 Tegile Zebi HA2800 Approximate Starting List Price: $150,000 $250, BEST-IN-CLASS BEST-IN-CLASS EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT (CONTINUED) Methods 2 (QoS) 2 Periodic System, VM, LUN / Policies Storage Providers 2 7 Embedded NFS, CIFS/SMB Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Active, Active-Standby Cores (Max) GB / 4,592 GB 4.4 TB / TB 20 Block In-line, 20 / 8 / 8/16 Gb 8 / RAID Options 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 60 DRAM cache, NVRAM cache, SSD, HDD LUN, Filesystem, Volume, VM Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 SAS 6 Gb SSD Optimizations 5 Caching System, VM, LUN 5 Hardware Warranty 90 days Contract Support 9 55

58 Tintri VMstore T540 Approximate Starting List Price: $90,000 (HW only) BASIC GOOD BASIC BASIC BASIC Methods 1 Periodic, VM-level / N/A Block In-line HDD System Policies/ (CONTINUED) (QoS) Policies Storage Providers NAS (NFS) (NFS) Dead Space 1 System,VM, vdisks 6 3 Embedded 1 NFS N/A for NFS N/A for NFS N/A for NFS Concurrent & N/A N/A N/A N/A Active-Standby Scale-out (Max controllers) 32 Cores (Max) 12 N/A (not disclosed) 2.4 TB / 26.4 TB 8 4 / 4 / 8/16 Gb / RAID Options 6 Redundancy 6 SAS 6Gb SSD Optimizations 7 Caching System, VM 1 AQDT / SIOC N/A / VADP / VASA N/A / Hardware Warranty 1 Year Contract Support 9 56

59 X-IO Hyper ISE 730 Approximate Starting List Price: $100,000 $150, BASIC BASIC BASIC BASIC GOOD (CONTINUED) Methods (QoS) 1 System / Policies Storage Providers 5 12 Concurrent & Scale-out (Max controllers) Active-Active Cores (Max) 4 8 GB / 8 GB 2 TB / 27 TB 8 / / 8/16 Gb 8 / RAID Options 5, 10 Policies/ Dead Space Redundancy 5 SSD Optimizations SAS 6 Gb Caching LUN 1 Hardware Warranty 5 Years Contract Support 7 57

60 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Product Rankings Dashboard MANAGEMENT & SOFTWARE VMware HARDWARE SUPPORT MANAGEMENT & SOFTWARE VMware HARDWARE SUPPORT Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic Avere FXT 4200 EMC VNX5500 Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic Avere FXT 4500 EMC VNX5700 Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic DDN SFA7700 EMC VNX7500 Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic Dell EqualLogic PS6510ES Fusion io NexGen n5-50 Storage System Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic Dot Hill AssuredSAN Pro 5000 Fusion io NexGen n5-100 Storage System Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic EMC VNX5100 Fusion io NexGen n5-150 Storage System Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic EMC VNX5300 Hitachi Data Systems HUS VM 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 58

61 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Product Rankings Dashboard (continued) MANAGEMENT & SOFTWARE VMware HARDWARE SUPPORT MANAGEMENT & SOFTWARE VMware HARDWARE SUPPORT Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic HP 3PAR StoreServ 7200 Nimble Storage CS210 Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic HP 3PAR StoreServ 7400 Nimble Storage CS220 Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic IBM Storwize V7000 Unified Nimble Storage CS240 Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic Imation Nexsan NST5130 Unified Hybrid Storage System Nimble Storage CS260 Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic Imation Nexsan NST5330 Unified Hybrid Storage System Imation Nexsan NST5530 Unified Hybrid Storage System Nimble Storage CS420-X2 Nimble Storage CS420-X4 Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic NetApp FAS3250 Nimble Storage CS DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 59

62 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Product Rankings Dashboard (continued) MANAGEMENT & SOFTWARE VMware HARDWARE SUPPORT MANAGEMENT & SOFTWARE VMware HARDWARE SUPPORT Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic Nimble Storage CS460 Tegile Zebi HA2100 Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic Oracle Sun ZFS Storage 7120 Appliance Tegile Zebi HA2100EP Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic Oracle Sun ZFS Storage 7320 Appliance Tegile Zebi HA2400 Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic Oracle Sun ZFS Storage 7420 Appliance Tegile Zebi HA2800 Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic Starboard Storage AC2000 Tintri VMstore T540 Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic Starboard Storage AC4000 X-IO Hyper ISE 730 Best-In-Class Recommended Excellent Good Basic Starboard Storage AC DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 60

63 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Appendix B Storage Provider Contact Information APPENDICES Appendix A: Definitions, Explanations and Terminology Appendix B: Storage Provider Contact Information Appendix C: Author Contact Information 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. 61

64 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Appendix A Definitions, Explanations and Terminology Definitions, Explanations and Terminology This section contains brief definitions and/or explanations of the terms used and assumptions made when developing the data sheets found in the DCIG 2014 Hybrid Array Buyer s Guide. These terms are in the same order as they appear on the individual data sheets. & Software Methods This score indicates if the array can do snapshots and how comprehensive the snapshot options for this array are. The number specifies the number of different supported elements available. The specific elements supported for each product are available by accessing the DCIG Interactive Buyer s Guide (IBG). Indicates if the array can asynchronously replicate data to another hybrid storage array from the same storage provider. Asynchronous replication may be continuous or periodic. Continuous: Every write I/O is copied, stored in a local disk cache and then replicated as soon as possible to a secondary midrange array. Periodic: A snapshot of one or more volumes is periodically taken with that snapshot and then replicated to a secondary midrange array. The array can synchronously replicate data to another array from the same storage provider. Write I/Os need to be received at the primary or source array and then copied and written to the secondary, or target array, with the write confirmed as complete by both before processing can continue. A storage optimization method where volume resources are allocated on the disk only when needed. Eager-Zeroed-Thick A thin provisioning optimization method used primarily in virtualized environments where volume resources are pre-allocated on the disk and the space then filled with zeros. This is done to indicate the space is unused and may be reclaimed as well as a method to overwrite data on storage space that was previously used by another virtual machine. Reclamation returns de-provisioned storage to the pool of available capacity. A check indicates that this capability is supported natively by the array without the aid of 3rd party software. Indicates support for Symantec s Zero which allows reuse of areas of storage that have been filled with zeros in thin provisioning scenarios. A check mark indicates if the array includes a license for the, or features without an extra licensing fee. Data deduplication saves disk space by storing only one copy of data when identical data is already stored on the array. Compression is a feature that compresses data as it is written to storage systems. Like deduplication, data compression works in both SAN and NAS environments. Block: Deduplicates data on a per-block basis. Stores a pointer to an existing identical block of data rather than a second instance of the block. File: File deduplication stores a pointer to an existing identical file on the array rather than storing a second instance of the file. Some vendors call this single instance store. (In-line vs. In-line: Data is deduplicated before it is stored to disk. Post-process: Data is first stored to disk in its native or raw format and subsequently deduplicated. A data compression technique for improving space efficiency by replacing repetitive strings of data within a block with a shorter referent from a dictionary of such data strings DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. A-1

65 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Appendix A Definitions, Explanations and Terminology (continued) A listing of the data stores that are deduplicated and/or compressed. See the DCIG Interactive Buyer s Guide (IBG) for a list of supported options for any particular array. Data stores that may be deduplicated and/or compressed: DRAM cache NVRAM/flash memory cache SSDs/Flash memory modules HDDs (Hard Disk Drives) Indicates if the array management software included on the model supports deduplication at the System, LUN, File System, Volume or the Virtual Machine level. Automated Real-Time Tiering/caching ensures the most critical data always reside on high performance media including DRAM, NVRAM, or Solid State Drives (SSDs), while less active data blocks are moved to the hard disk drive tiers. Policies/ Data is moved/placed dynamically (in real time) based on preset system policies/algorithms. Data is moved/placed dynamically (in real time) based on user-defined policies Data is moved/placed dynamically (in real time) based on user-defined performance targets Indicates if the array offers management of storage tiering/caching at the System, Virtual Machine or LUN level. at each level typically can be accomplished with system presets or user-defined policies. Forms of flash-based caching The ability to utilize flash memory as cache in front of permanent storage to improve system performance. A count of the flash-based caching options (Block IO acceleration, NAS acceleration, read caching, write caching, write journaling) that are supported by the array. See the DCIG Interactive Buyer s Guide (IBG) for a list of supported options for any particular array. Block I/O Acceleration: The use of caching specifically for block (SAN) performance beyond read/write operations such as metadata storage. NAS Acceleration: The use of caching specifically for NAS performance beyond read/write operations such as metadata storage. Read Caching: The caching of frequently or recently accessed data to improve read performance. May include predictive caching techniques. Write Caching: The caching of data to flash media prior to writing permanent storage in order to improve write performance. Write Journaling: The use of a circular journal to provide write caching and reliability assurance before writing to permanent storage. (QoS) A count of the workload prioritization methods supported by the array. The specific elements supported for each product are available by accessing the DCIG Interactive Buyer s Guide (IBG). Workload prioritization options include: I/O automatically balanced across all VMs/LUNS/volumes. User-defined queue ratios (i.e. one VM/LUN/Volume gets 80%, another gets 20%) User-defined target IOPs for each VM/LUN/Volume User-defined target bandwidth for each VM/LUN/Volume User-defined target system response time for each VM/LUN/Volume User-defined guaranteed minimum IOPs for each VM/LUN/Volume User-defined guaranteed minimum bandwidth for each VM/LUN/Volume User-defined guaranteed minimum average system response time for each VM/LUN/Volume User-defined maximum IOPs for each VM/LUN/Volume User-defined maximum bandwidth for each VM/LUN/Volume User-defined maximum system response time for each VM/LUN/Volume 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. A-2

66 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Appendix A Definitions, Explanations and Terminology (continued) User categorizes each VM/LUN/Volume into pre-defined service levels (i.e. Gold, Silver, Bronze) Sacrifice performance of lower priority workloads for higher priority ones during degraded state operation (disk drive rebuild, controller failure, etc ) The array provides an application that monitors and reports on how an array s resources (disk drives, storage networking ports, cache, LUNs, VMs, etc.) are being utilized and how well they are performing. A check mark indicates this feature is supported. The specific elements supported for each product are available by accessing the DCIG Interactive Buyer s Guide (IBG). Policies A count of the automation and storage provisioning options supported by the array. The specific elements supported for each product are available by accessing the DCIG Interactive Buyer s Guide (IBG). Automation and provisioning options include: Policy-based storage selection Create storage templates to include SLA/QOS requirements Provisioning via server groups linked to storage templates Self-service portal for server and/or storage administrators Automated reclamation when virtual server is decommissioned Scheduling and notification of provisioning activities Exposes APIs for use by 3rd party storage automation tools Support integration with ITSM products (Remedy, Tivoli) SDK for integration with management software Count of the number of supported hypervisors or operating systems. The specific elements supported for each product are available by accessing the DCIG Interactive Buyer s Guide (IBG). Backup techniques/technologies supported by the array Options: NDMP (Network Data Protocol) is an open standard protocol for enterprise-wide backup of heterogeneous network-attached storage. Embedded backup software specific to the vendor or array. Storage Providers The ability to natively attach, integrate and/or migrate data to public or private cloud storage providers. The number specifies the number of cloud storage options supported. The specific elements supported for each product are available by accessing the DCIG Interactive Buyer s Guide (IBG). (NAS Only) A Network File System is a protocol that allows the mounting of devices or file systems on other systems over a network. Indicates what network file systems are supported by the array. Options include CIFS/SMB, NFS, and WebDAV. CIFS/SMB: (Common Internet File System/Server Message Block) CIFS/SMB is the underlying protocol of Windows File Sharing. Due to the large installed base of Windows workstations and servers it has become nearly ubiquitous and is supported by all major desktop and server operating systems. NFS: (Network File System) NFS is to the Unix world what CIFS is to the Windows world. It is a protocol that allows the mounting of devices/file systems on other systems over a network. WebDAV: (Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning) WebDAV is a HTTP (web) based file system implementation intended to support author and version tracking. The ability of a storage array to make itself appear as multiple NAS devices DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. A-3

67 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Appendix A Definitions, Explanations and Terminology (continued) Support Hardware Warranty Indicates the length of standard warranty for the array. Contract Support Availability Specifies the hours when support is available when under service contract. Examples include business hours (9am 5pm, weekdays), 24x7 (24 hours a day, seven days a week, but not holidays) and 24x7x365 (24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays). Contract Support A count of the methods of support offered by the vendor. Options include phone, , web chat, remote monitoring, remote login/problem resolution, dispatch technician onsite, dispatch technician onsite with 4-hour GTD response, same day delivery of replacement parts, and pre-failure shipping of replacement parts. The number specifies the number of different supported elements available. The specific elements supported for each product are available by accessing the DCIG Interactive Buyer s Guide (IBG). A checkmark here indicates the array vendor provides support for the model on a non-contract basis. Hours of availability and support methods may differ from those offered for on-contract arrays, and may require a fee. VMware Integration array management A check mark indicates the array has a vsphere plug-in to perform array based management functions. Support for full integration with vsphere s snapshot capability; either natively, or through a plug-in provided by the storage array vendor. Indicates whether the array supports the storing of data for later usage using Fibre Channel, or NAS (NFS) protocols. Used to copy data and/or create clones, avoiding the need to send data back and forth to a host. Allows vcenter to offload SCSI commands from the ESX server to the storage array so it can control the locking mechanism while the storage array does data updates. The VMware vsphere ESXi host issues a command to the private cloud storage array that it recognizes. This command instructs the storage array to write zeros to the virtual VMDK or VMFS LUNs. This generally occurs when initializing the virtual disk for a new VM. Support for this feature indicates that the storage array recognizes this vsphere primitive and performs this zeroing activity. Enables the storage array to zero out a large number of data blocks to speed the provisioning of virtual machines (VMs) and reduce I/O. Dead Space Reclamation (SCSI UNMAP) Using the SCSI UNMAP command, an ESXi host can inform a storage array that space may be reclaimed that previously had been occupied by a VM that has been migrated to another datastore or deleted. This command is part of VAAI 5.0 and is a NAS hardware acceleration primitive. The VMware vsphere ESXi host issues a command to the private cloud storage array that it recognizes. This command instructs the storage array to clone a virtual disk. Support for this feature indicates that the storage array recognizes this vsphere primitive and performs this cloning activity. This command is part of VAAI 5.0 and was introduced to mitigate the impact on VMs when thin-provisioned datastores reach 100 percent of capacity. The private cloud storage arrays alerts the VMware vsphere ESXi host and/or vcenter when specified thresholds are reached. Should a datastore reach 100 percent of capacity, only those VMs requiring additional capacity are paused while VMs needing no additional capacity continue to run. Support for this feature indicates that the storage array recognizes this vsphere primitive and performs this out-of-space alerting. This command is part of VAAI 5.0 and is a NAS hardware acceleration primitive. The VMware vsphere ESXi host 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. A-4

68 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Appendix A Definitions, Explanations and Terminology (continued) issues a command to the private cloud storage array that it recognizes. This command instructs the storage array to create thick VMDK files on NAS datastores. Support for this feature indicates that the storage array recognizes this vsphere primitive and performs this file allocation activity. enables vsphere functionality to display actual space usage statistics on NAS datastores without the use of third-party tools. Before the introduction of, it would have been necessary to use array-based tools to monitor the space being used on a thinly provisioned Virtual Disk Machine (VMDK) on a back-end datastore. AQDT VMware ESX 3.5 Update 4 introduced an adaptive queue depth throttling (AQDT) algorithm that adjusts the LUN queue depth in the VMkernel I/O stack. This algorithm is activated when the storage array indicates LUN I/O congestion by returning a BUSY or QUEUE FULL status. When LUN congestion is detected, VMkernel throttles the LUN queue depth. The VMkernel attempts to gradually restore the LUN queue depth when LUN congestion conditions subside. AQDT prevents the array from being flooded with LUN I/O requests and enables the array to recover to a normal operational state. NOTE: This is not applicable for NFS mounted storage. SIOC Storage I/O Control (SIOC) for VMware is a dynamic control mechanism for proportional allocation of shared storage resources to VMs running on multiple hosts. VADP vstorage APIs for Data Protection (VADP) is a data protection framework introduced in vsphere 4.0. VADP enables centralized, off-host LAN free backup of vsphere virtual machines, reduces ESX host resources to do backup processing, and enables flexible backup windows. VASA vsphere Storage APIs for Storage Awareness is a set of APIs that permit storage arrays to integrate with vcenter for management functionality. Storage Awareness collects configuration, capability and storage health information from storage arrays. This allows the administrator to build Storage Profiles based on capabilities. VASRM vstorage APIs for Site Recover Manager (VASRM) offers remote replication features enabling a device to failover to a recovery site. Storage DRS Storage Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) provides virtual machine placement and load balancing mechanisms based on I/O and space capacity. Hardware The ability for the storage array to communicate with applications using both block (SAN) and network file system (NAS) clients at the same time. Fibre Channel () is used as a networking protocol to transmit data between computer devices, such as a server and a storage device. Internet Small Computer System Interface () is a block-based protocol for running SCSI commands over Internet Protocol (IP) on Ethernet to access storage resources. Concurrent & The ability for the storage array to connect to hosts over Fibre Channel and at the same time. Active-Active: Two controllers are configured with multi-pathing software and have concurrent access to the disk drives that are then presented as LUNs to attached hosts. In the event a controller fails or is taken offline, attached host(s) may detect little or no interruption in service as the other controller takes over for the failed unit though a drop in performance may occur. This is considered an enterprise class feature. Active-Standby: All LUNs are controlled and assigned to a single active controller through which all storage I/O traffic is routed. A secondary standby controller takes over the storage I/O traffic for the active controller should it fail or be taken offline. The secondary controller also assumes control of the array s LUNs at any time DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. A-5

69 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Appendix A Definitions, Explanations and Terminology (continued) Dual Active: Both controllers are active and have concurrent access to the drives that are presented as LUNs to the attached hosts. The difference from Active- Active is that half of the storage array s LUNs are assigned to and controlled by one controller and the other half of the LUNs to the other so a LUN can only be accessed down one path through one controller at a time. If a controller should be taken offline or fail, the other controller assumes control for its LUNs. Scale-out (Max controllers) The maximum number of controllers that the model can support in a single logical configuration. An X indicates that this array does not support a scale-out SAN configuration. Cores (Max) The number listed indicates the maximum number of processor cores available in each of the array s controllers. The maximum number of gigabytes (GBs) of cache that each array controller can support. Max RAM: Specifies the maximum number of gigabytes (GBs) of DRAM cache. Max: Cache may consist of any combination of DRAM, NVRAM and SSD. The maximum amount of raw storage capacity in terabytes (TBs) that the array can have under its management. However, this number only includes the array s footprint and not the storage capacity of other systems it may have virtualized. Max SSD: Maximum flash memory raw capacity supported in this array. Max: Maximum capacity using a best case scenario with any combination of SSDs and HDDs using the largest available disk drives certified for this model. The maximum number of ports available in any configuration to connect the array to hosts or to a dedicated storage network. Controllers that support both Ethernet and Fibre Channel may also support concurrent use of both technologies. See Concurrent & for additional clarification. Ports for managing the array or interconnecting multiple storage controllers are not included in this count. Indicates the maximum number of 1 Gb, 10 Gb and 40 Gb Ethernet storage networking ports supported by the array in any configuration. 8/16 Gb Indicates the maximum number of 8 Gb and 16 Gb Fibre Channel storage networking ports supported by the array in any configuration. Information dispersal algorithms/erasure coding allows an array to store data across multiple locations as a way to enhance redundancy and protect against data loss. (Generally used as an alternative to RAID.) RAID Options Lists the standard RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) levels supported by the device. Examples include RAID 0 (striping without mirroring or parity), RAID 1 (mirroring without stripting or parity), RAID 5 (block-level striping with distributed parity), etc. Global Hot Spares (SSD/HDD) Indicates if the array permits an SSD or HDD disk drive to be designated as a global hot spare, and be used to automatically replace a matching failed drive in a RAID set. Redundancy The elements that make up the Redundancy score include redundant and hot swap power supplies, fans, and drives. The number specifies the number of different supported elements available. The specific elements supported for each product are available by accessing the DCIG Interactive Buyer s Guide (IBG). Indicates the interface(s) the controller uses to connect to the back-end HDDs and SSDs. Options that may be supported include -AL, -SW, SATA SAS 3Gb and SAS 6Gb. SSD Optimizations Indicates the extent to which specialized SSD techniques are supported by the array. Optimization techniques that 2013 DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. A-6

70 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Appendix A Definitions, Explanations and Terminology (continued) may be supported include: Wear leveling, Wear monitoring and alerting, Buffering and/or coalescing of writes to match erasure block size (EBS), Variable RAID stripe sizing to match erasure block size (EBS), Tuning of data aging timers for write buffering, Inline deduplication, Block level compression, and Hardware accelerated compression. The number specifies the number of different supported elements available. The specific elements supported for each product are available by accessing the DCIG Interactive Buyer s Guide (IBG). Indicates if the array offers a battery backup (i.e. integrated UPS in the array) in case of power failure. The Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) is a movement intended to limit certain dangerous substances commonly used in electronic and electronic equipment. Compliant components are tested for substances such as lead or mercury DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. A-7

71 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Appendix B Storage Provider Contact Information Storage Provider Contact Information Avere Systems, Inc McKnight Rd., Ste. 404 Pittsburgh, PA USA DDN 9351 Deering Avenue Chatsworth, CA [email protected] TERABYTE ( ) Dell 1 Dell Way Round Rock, TX Dot Hill Systems Corporation 1351 S Sunset St. Longmont, CO EMC Corporation 176 South Street Hopkinton, MA [email protected] Fusion-io 2855 E. Cottonwood Parkway, Ste.100 Salt Lake City, UT Hitachi Data Systems Corporation 2845 Lafayette Street Santa Clara, California Hewlett-Packard Corporation 3000 Hanover Street Palo Alto, CA IBM Corporation 1 New Orchard Rd Armonk, NY [email protected] Imation Nexsan Solutions 1445 Lawrence Drive Thousand Oaks, CA NetApp 495 East Java Drive Sunnyvale, CA Nimble Storage, Inc Zanker Road San Jose, CA [email protected] Oracle Corporation 500 Oracle Parkway Redwood Shores, CA Starboard Storage Systems Airport Way, Suite 230 Broomfield, CO Tegile Systems, Inc Jarvis Ave. Newark, CA Tintri, Inc. 201 Ravendale Drive Mountain View, CA [email protected] X-IO Storage 9950 Federal Drive, Suite 100 Colorado Springs, CO DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. B-1

72 DCIG 2014 HYBRID STORAGE ARRAY BUYER S GUIDE THE INSIDER S GUIDE TO EVALUATING HYBRID STORAGE ARRAYS Appendix C Author Contact Information Author Contact Information DCIG, LLC 7511 Madison Street Omaha, NE CONTACT Ken Clipperton [email protected] WEBSITE DCIG, LLC. All rights reserved. C-1