IBM System Storage N3400 Coming Next March

The IBM System Storage N3400 from IBM Corp. consists of storage controller Model A11, a single-node base unit, and the Model A21, an active/active dual-node base unit. Both models are designed to provide fast data access, simultaneous multiprotocol support, expandability, upgradability, and low maintenance requirements.

The two models of the N3400 are designed to provide:

• High data availability and system-level redundancy to help address the needs of business-critical and mission-critical applications
• Single, integrated architecture to support concurrent block I/O and file serving over Ethernet and Fibre Channel SAN infrastructures
• High throughput and fast response times for database, e-mail, and technical applications
• 6 to 12 Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) disk drives (via optional features)
• Support for both block I/O via Fibre Channel (FC) and Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI), and file I/O via CIFS, NFS, HTTP, and FTP protocols
• Support for maximums of 132 disk drives or 132 TB of physical storage capacity
• 8 GB of random access memory (per node)
• One backend FC loop for both models
• One SAS stack for both models
• Upgrade capability from Model A11 to Model A21

The N3400 storage controller supports the EXN1000 SATA storage expansion unit, the EXN2000 and EXN4000 FC storage expansion units, and the EXN3000 SAS/SATA storage expansion unit.

These N series models are designed to provide fast data access, simultaneous multiprotocol support, expandability, upgradability, and low maintenance requirements. Additional functions, such as snapshot, mirroring, and business continuance capability, are available through optional licensed functions.

Key prerequisites: The IBM System Storage N3400 requires FC, NFS, CIFS, or iSCSI protocol function.

Planned availability date: March 5, 2010