Fusion-io ION Accelerator Software, Starting at $3,900

Fusion-io, Inc. announced its ION Data Accelerator software that transforms server platforms into powerful network shared ioMemory data acceleration appliances.

ION provides performance to applications that need access to shared data while enhancing existing enterprise storage infrastructure.

From a 1U server, ION software delivers over a million I/Os with up to 6 GB/s throughput and under 0.06 millisecond latency.

ION delivers performance performance over FC, IB and iSCSI using standard protocols. The ioMemory architecture enables ION performance to scale even further over time as server and networking solutions speed up through new technology developments. Even at these speeds, ION synchronously persists data, ensuring data is not at risk of being lost in case of an unexpected power outage. Unlike other networked storage systems, the software defined ION data accelerator software delivers both performance and power fail safety without battery backups or uninterrupted power supply systems.

"When I first started working with Fusion-io, I was impressed how our engineers were so focused on using software to advance modern computer systems," said Fusion-io chief scientist Steve Wozniak. "Powerful software can be the foundation for incredible innovation, especially when it’s also an open system that shares resources. I am excited that our new ION software shares ioMemory acceleration across the datacenter to help customers keep meeting the data demands they face on the application side of the Internet."

ION enables customers to combine ioMemory products. Fusion-io software and performance servers create an open platform appliance for shared data acceleration. A global media and entertainment early access customer added ION systems to accelerate a number of key applications, achieving a 25x improvement in SQL Server performance, an 8x improvement in transcoding performance and up to 40x acceleration improvements on a variety of other applications. ION software is currently being used by over a dozen early access customers, the majority of which are Fortune 500 companies.

"Software defined solutions are rapidly replacing specialized hardware throughout the datacenter, and Fusion-io has been at the forefront of this transition since our founding," said David Flynn, Fusion-io CEO and chairman. "ION software combines customers’ preferred server platforms and ioMemory to deliver greater performance than even dedicated flash appliances, while also improving the efficiency of high performance storage arrays. With ION, Fusion-io is offering a comprehensive portfolio of software defined data acceleration solutions, including server acceleration, caching acceleration, and now shared storage acceleration, giving customers maximum choice over how they architect ioMemory into their software defined datacenter."

ION offers features, including the creation of RAID sets, LUN creation and management, SNMP, performance monitoring, and more.

Additional features include:

• Open Systems Deliver Customer Choice: ION software transforms tier one servers into a shared data acceleration appliance, allowing enterprise IT professionals to build solutions tailored for their expert knowledge, experience, and resources
• Software Defined Fusion-io Performance: It provides 1,000,592 4K random IOPS with up to 6 GB/s throughput and 56 microsecond latency in a 1U server
• HA: The ION HA software option achieves enhanced HA and data protection by synchronously replicating data between multiple ION systems
• Power Fail Safety: The ION Power Cut Safety feature ensures data is not at risk in case of an unexpected power outage or server failure. ION software delivers this power fail safety without battery backups, UPS systems or supercapacitors
• Reliability and MLC Flash Optimization: Customers leverage sophisticated ioMemory features for enterprise flash management, such as configurable overprovisioning, which allows customers to optimize ioMemory for capacity or performance according to their needs, Wear Leveling to extend flash endurance, as well as Adaptive Flashback, which provides intelligent self-healing through complete, chip-level fault tolerance, enabling ioMemory products to self-heal after a single chip or a multi-chip failure without interrupting BC
• Fusion ioTurbine and directCache Interoperability:  ION enabled systems are interoperable with Fusion’s powerful host-based caching solutions, providing the needed balance of read caching with storage network-based write acceleration
• Customized Visibility: Customers can choose to operate the software using Fusion’s ioSphere management tools, providing centralized control from a single  GUI or a Command Line Interface
• Enhances Current SAN Performance: Hot spots and bottlenecks created by demanding applications slow down every existing shared storage system. By moving these hot spots to ION, the storage array can provide faster, more predictable performance, allowing the storage array to focus on managing large capacities of enterprise data

"Fusion-io has focused on software-driven solutions that give architects more efficiency and choice in designing high-performance systems," said David Floyer, Wikibon CTO. "Fusion ION provides servers with a powerful shared data solution that used to require specialized hardware. This advances the evolution to I/O-centric data centers defined by software."

Fusion-io will be enabling resellers to offer integrated ION solutions. One of the first companies to sell this complete solution is purpose-built, data center server leader Hyve Solutions, a division of SYNNEX Corporation. It builds and distributes integrated Fusion-io certified ION solutions around HP and Hyve custom server platforms.

Steve Ichinaga, SVP and GM of Hyve Solutions, states: "Fusion-io offers unmatched performance within the server. In some cases, an appliance solution may be desired to provide high performance shared storage. We are excited about combining our expertise in custom server design and integration with Fusion-io technologies to bring this new high performance storage solution to the market."

Fusion ION shared acceleration software will be available in October 2012 at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price starting at $3,900. Customers can also configure integrated solutions with their preferred server systems vendor.