4th Gen of All-Flash Arrays at Nimbus With Up to 385TB in 2U

Nimbus Data Systems, Inc. unveiled its fourth-generation all-flash arrays: the Gemini F400 and F600.

These systems break new ground as arrays utilizing 1x nm MLC flash, directly challenging hybrid HDD/SSD arrays on cost-per-gigabyte for server virtualization and VDI while delivering the reliability, consistent performance, and lower operating costs of all-flash storage.

The Gemini F400 and F600 also deliver 2-5x greater IO/s and lower latency than competing offerings, for low-latency applications like databases, analytics, and OLTP.

"Cloudmark heavily benchmarked and evaluated a number of hybrid and all-flash storage solutions to increase our virtualization density in order to slash OpEx costs," stated Ryan White, VP operations, Cloudmark, in messaging threat protection for communication service providers. "Nimbus Data was the clear winner in our evaluations, and the Gemini’s performance and value has given us plenty of headroom for further expansion."

Enabling Mainstream All-Flash by Tapping 1x nm Flash
The key to reducing the cost of all-flash systems is reducing the cost of the flash silicon itself. This is accomplished by reducing the lithography of flash.

By unlocking the potential of 1x nm MLC flash, the new Gemini F400 and F600 systems offer a 35% cost reduction over the prior generation.

Through three technology advancements:

• A powerful hardware DSP in each enterprise flash drive that provides the perfect amount electrical current based on the age of the flash, minimizing flash wear,
• New software that reforms random small-block writes into sequential large-block writes, reducing write amplification, and
• Cell-level, rather than chip-level, wear-leveling algorithms that detect variations in flash endurance and adapt write patterns accordingly, eliminating hot-spots With these advancements, the new Gemini F400 and F600 systems increase the endurance of 1x nm flash to that of 2x nm flash, reducing cost while offering a 10-year comprehensive warranty.

Combined with Nimbus Data’s deduplication, compression, and thin-provisioning software, cost per usable gigabyte is reduced to $0.78, undercutting hybrid HDD/SSD arrays. This achievement marks a tipping point that will broaden the reach of all-flash technology, making hybrid HDD/SSD arrays obsolete for server virtualization and VDI.

Extending Performance in Latency-sensitive Applications
Nimbus Data has further optimized its system software to increase write performance by 4x and read performance by 2x with the new Gemini F400 and F600 systems. By reforming small block random writes into sequential writes, the new Gemini systems are the fastest all-flash arrays available.

• Up to 1 million 100% write IO/s at 4KB
• Up to 2 million 100% read IO/s at 4KB
• As low as 50μsec latency at 4KB

By combining such high performance and 1x nm flash economics, Nimbus Data is positioned to target low-latency applications that demand speed as well as general purpose enterprise storage use cases focused on software features and affordable capacity.

Multiprotocol and Unified All-Flash Storage
The Gemini F400 and F600 systems offer fast and versatile connectivity options: up to 56GB FDR IB, 40GbE, and 16Gb FC, with backward-compatibility to slower speeds. As a unified platform, SAN and NAS protocols are natively supported, including FC, iSCSI, NFS, SRP, and CIFS. With RDMA technology, Gemini systems are for mission-critical databases, a compelling alternative to costly and proprietary database appliances.

Enabling Disaggregated Racks of Flash
With High-speed Interconnects
Connected over IB or 40GbE, the Gemini F600 challenges the latency performance of PCIe flash cards while offering the benefits of centralized storage: clustering support, more capacity, better throughput, and component redundancy. Instead of PCIe flash cards in every server, customers can build a flash grid using RDMA and low-latency interconnects, providing economies of scale and centralized management to reduce power consumption, data center rack space costs, and administration costs.

No Single Point of Failure and Comprehensive Software
The new Gemini systems meet the availability and performance requirements of server virtualization, databases, VDI, and IO-intensive data processing applications. The fully-redundant ‘hot-swap everything’ design offers dual controllers, non-disruptive software updates, and intuitive lights-out management in one system – no bulky external controllers, gateways, or cabling required. Gemini all-flash arrays feature Nimbus’ HALO software stack, a system management solution offering thin provisioning, deduplication, snapshot, and easy to use administration tools.

Availability and Pricing
The Gemini F400 and F600 all-flash arrays will be available in Q4 2013. In a 2U fully-redundant system, the F400 and F600 provide 3TB to 48TB of flash using hot-swappable industry-standard form factor drive modules. Combined with inline data reduction software, one Gemini system can hold up to 385TB of data. The F400, which features 8 x SFP+ ports, supports 16Gb FC and 10GbE and starts under $60,000. The F600, which features 8 x QSFP+ ports for fast IB and 40GbE, starts under $80,000. Customers can choose a support contract up to 10 years in duration that provides 24x7x365 support, a comprehensive hardware warranty, free software updates, and 4 hour onsite service worldwide.