Zstor GridServer Building Block for Software-Defined Storage Solutions

With the introduction of the GridServer family, Zstor GmbH provides a server for use as powerful heart in performance and cost-effective software-defined storage environments.

GridServer are flexible configurable for customer’s projects and can be equipped with LAN adapters up to 100MB/s and 12Gb SAS storage hardware components. It offers especially with built in performance PCIe flash-drives, datacenter class SSDs and latest 12Gg HDD drives a multi-tier storage platform with high class balanced performance benefits.

Certified and tested in most professional system environments GridServer are a choice as building block in softwar-defined storage applications. Here, one or more GridServer manage many petaBytes in NexentaStor ZFS environment or act as heart in Microsoft Corp.‘s Scale Out File Server environments (SOFS) using Windows Server 2016 or proven Windows Server 2012R2. Also the necessary approvals in Linux environment, like Suse , Red Hat, CentOS, Ubuntu or OmniOS, have already been done. The use of GridServer in virtual server structures, like VMware, HyperV or Proxmox, is recommended because of the flexible variations with up to 44 hardware CPU cores.

“With the Zstor GridServer we fulfil the demand of our customers with an fully own tested, conceptually sophisticated and flexible-to-use server platform, which can be used for optimization of software-defined dtorage application“, says Helmut Kopel, MD, Zstor. “As a building block, the Zstor GridServer represent the heart of a SBS solutions and are assembled by us with high-performance components for network connectivity, as well as cost-optimized storage for tailor-made customer solutions.”

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The GridServer as 2U rackmount system can be equipped with one or two original Xeon processors of in current E5-2600v4 series. In addition of the support for DDR4 RAM modules, each 2400 MHz and realizing up to 1.5TB internal RAM, it can be installed with up to eight PCIe Gen3 expansion cards. Here performance enhancing 12Gb SAS RAID controller or PCIe flash memory cards, as well as Ethernet HBA with a transfer rate of up to 100MB/s for the connection to existing high speed networks underline the vary of configurations for tailor-made servers. Into the GridServer there can be fitted 12Gb enterprise HDDs/SSDs or cost-efficient datacenter class SATA 6Gb HDDs/SSDs into available 12, 16 or 24 hot swappable drive bays. For storage extensions through attachable JBODs or the use of GridServer in cluster environments performance Broadcom/LSI 12G SAS HBA are provided.

The GridServer is easy to service, and has in addition to hot-swappable drive bays and power supplies also interchangeable PCI modules, as well as a complete field-replaceable motherboard tray. The management of GridServer will be done via a separate RJ-45 IPMI 2.0 interface (Board management BMC) or KVM with media redirection. All GridServer are equipped by factory with a 36 months warranty and a free technical support in English and German language.

The GridServer will be produced and configured based on customer’s and project demands in Germany. Base variants of 2U rackmount systems are available with 12, 16 or 24 HDD/SSD drive bays.