Enhanced NetApp E-Series Storage Platform

NetApp, Inc. announced enhancements to its E-Series platform, designed for high-performance applications and data-intensive workflows.

The platform forms a foundation for highly available, high-capacity, performance-optimized application workflows in critical vertical markets, including healthcare, security, media and entertainment, and HPC markets such as oil and gas, manufacturing, and government.

The new features, in the latest update to the NetApp SANtricity storage management software for E-Series, include the addition of SSD cache for improved performance, a broadening of network interface support for E5400 storage system for increased connectivity and network flexibility, and new mirroring and replication services for greater data protection. The enhanced platform provides NetApp and OEM partners with a foundation for building storage systems that deliver performance for the challenging big data workloads.

"NetApp’s E-Series platform is deployed in the world’s most demanding data-intensive environments," said Brendon Howe, VP, Product and Solutions Marketing, NetApp. "These dedicated workload environments require proven and versatile storage that delivers high-performance and scale without high cost. With features such as SSD cache support, petabyte-scale capacity, and improved data protection, our E-Series platform will help organizations accelerate innovation and speed insight to action."

SSD Cache Improves Performance,
Reduces Storage Costs, and Accelerates Innovation
Organizations dealing with large, complex datasets can accelerate their workflows with new SSD cache capabilities in the -Series platform. It enables to automatically store blocks of ‘hot’ data on SSDs for rapid access. For capacity or retention requirements, less often accessed data is stored on more cost-effective, larger-capacity HDDs. SSD cache enables intelligent storage tiering and provides faster access to critical application data and cost-effective density for longer retention periods. By providing streamlined access to the right storage medium for the right use at the right time, the E-Series platform enables OEMs to build performance-optimized, high-capacity, cost-effective solutions that accelerate innovation, analysis, and workflows for the most demanding customers.

Multiple Interface Support Enables Flexible IT Designs
Having a flexible infrastructure helps organizations adapt as infrastructure needs change. With the E-Series updates, customers and OEMs can now use new 10Gb/s iSCSI and 6Gb/s SAS network interfaces on E5400 systems, providing a broad network interface selection for dedicated workload solutions. These interfaces optimize the customer environment for connecting hosts and extending replication capabilities between E-Series systems.

Enhanced Data Protection Features
Enable Efficient, Reliable Operations
Enhanced data protection features help E-Series and OEM customers deliver a dedicated, highly available, application-specific infrastructure. Updates include additional mirroring, copy service techniques, and dynamic disk pools to secure data. This security technology enables big data customers to maintain business operations and reduce storage systems costs. The E-Series redundant components, automated path failover, and online administration keep organizations productive.

"As the amount of information grows, customers look to Teradata to provide data management solutions that improve system performance with new features such as atomic write support," said Ed White, GM, Teradata Appliances. "The E-Series, with its flexible configuration, continues to be a highly reliable platform that supports Teradata’s high-performance industry-leading appliances."

"In media and entertainment, having a storage infrastructure that helps us to produce high-quality films faster than ever before, while reducing costs, is a substantial competitive advantage," said Pat Devlin, post-production supervisor, Evergreen Films, Inc. "That advantage is driven by storage technologies that not only have high bandwidth and capacity, but also those that offer the scalability and flexibility we need to adapt to new projects. The new intelligent SSD cache and network interface features in NetApp E-Series will improve our ability to produce films efficiently and reduce our risk of delays."

"Seismic processing creates a really, data-intensive environment," said Larry Fink, product manager, seismic processing, Halliburton, Landmark Software and Services. "In our work with Quantum and NetApp, the E-Series has already proven that it can provide a dedicated infrastructure for high performance with real-world seismic applications. The new E-Series enhancements in reliability and network interfaces will have a major impact on our ability to improve performance for seismic processing."