Skyera Advices on SSD Systems

Adding SSDs or solid-state storage
systems to a network can result in complexity and cost penalties,
negating any benefits an organization is looking to leverage in
implementing flash-based storage to its data center, say experts at
Skyera
Inc.

Rather than investing in the
time-consuming and expensive proposition of upgrading a network
infrastructure in order to take advantage of the one or two
high-speed network ports that are often included with solid-state
appliances, the company suggests adopting flash storage systems with
a built-in network switch to avoid the need for a infrastructure that
requires all-new switches, HBAs and cabling. By avoiding an
unnecessary network upgrade, these systems can minimize acquisition
and operational costs to less than that of standard HDD systems.

"As
industry excitement continues to build for the performance attributes
of solid-state storage systems and the cost of flash devices begin to
drop, many organizations are looking to jump head first into adopting
this technology without giving any thought to the impact on their
existing network,"
said Dr. Radoslav Danilak, Skyera CEO. "While
this might not be a problem for those who believe in maximizing
system performance at any cost, most organizations need to consider
the effects of adding solid-state storage systems into their network
environment and calculate the added investment and complexity that
will be required in making such a wholesale change."

Solid-state storage systems that
integrate 1GbE switches directly into the appliance allow for private
point-to-point connections between servers and the device eliminating
the need to upgrade to more expensive 10GbE or 16GB FC alternatives.
By freeing up network ports instead of monopolizing them, these 1GbE
ports can be combined to match the network speed of the connected
host to remove the often unplanned expense of network upgrades.

One such appliance that is set to
change the enterprise flash adoption landscape is the Skyera Skyhawk.
The company’s enterprise solid-state storage system is based on 19/20nm consumer MLC NAND flash at a system
price of less than $3 per GB before compression and de-dupe. The half-depth 1U form factor sports a staggering 44TB of performance, low latency native capacity for the demanding big
data, analytics and virtualization applications. It was designed to incorporate technology
to yield the 100 times life amplification required to achieve
enterprise reliability and endurance requirements.

Before
going out and purchasing an off-the-shelf solid-state storage
appliance, organizations owe it to themselves to consider the impact
and implications of adding such devices to their existing network
architecture. With the right strategy, solid-state storage systems
can satisfy a company’s performance needs while minimizing both
upfront costs and TCO.