DDN Boosts AI Storage With EXAScaler 6 and Expanded Portfolio for Enterprise Intelligent Infrastructure

Expanding in AI and multi cloud data management solutions, DDN (DataDirect Networks, Inc.) is strengthening its commitment to enterprise AI customers and channel partners with EXAScaler 6 (EXA6) and expanding its portfolio of IntelliFlash systems from Tintri by DDN, Inc., a DDN company provider of intelligent infrastructure for enterprises.

The firm announced a new process by which certified partners can acquire A³I with Nvidia DGX SuperPOD with a single SKU. These offerings allow channel partners and resellers to more easily acquire and deploy solutions for enterprise workloads and at-scale AI infrastructures.

EXA6 enhances efficiency and ease of use
The company introduces EXA6, extending its leadership in parallel file systems. This next iteration of EXAScaler scalable software for storage, analysis and management runs on a EXAScaler Management Framework (EMF) with APIs for configuration and management. EXA6 simplifies managing and upgrading systems through automation by 10x over competitor solutions. New features include support for the latest Nvidia Magnum IO GPUDirect Storage, online upgrades, enhancements to automatic tiering, and Hot Nodes for client-side persistence. EXAScaler is a file system for AI, analytics and HPC, and EXA6 is the foundation for stronger security, enriched data services, and end-to-end data management.

Local trending news
EXA6 adds acceleration technologies with Hot Nodes, which automatically caches data on the local NVMe of Nvidia GPU systems, reducing IO latency and traffic by avoiding network round trips. Deep Learning (DL) models often require datasets to be re-read many times – this multi-epoch learning process places a heavy load on compute, networking and storage. Developed in collaboration with Nvidia Corp., this new feature automatically copies DL data into GPU local storage, freeing up infrastructure to serve additional workloads, such as ingest, labelling and archive. EXA6, with this new Hot Nodes capability, underscores the firm’s commitment to end-to-end efficiency of data paths within compute, networking and storage, and raises the bar for AI system performance at any scale.

Insight 4.0 provides deeper visibility
Insight 4.0 monitors the spectrum of IO resources and workloads, bringing customers profound visibility and granular control of the entire data path to reduce time to discovery. It presents an even deeper view into systems and operations with a range of data intelligence, including individual jobs, IO metrics, workload analysis, and GPU usage to comprehensive job views and lightweight profiling. It allows administrators to resolve workload and infrastructure problems quickly and improve service levels.

Intelliflash completes end-to-end solution capability

Intelliflash systems combine the performance and economics for full-service Intelligent Infrastructure that autonomously optimizes SSD-to-HDD ratios and delivers scalable performance. A variety of time-saving management features provide support for enterprise applications, and consolidates workloads with concurrent multiprotocol support for block, file and object storage, and VMs on a single system.

Complementary to A3I solutions, Intelliflash systems satisfy a new range of use cases, delivering consistent, low latency and leading IO/s performance. It simplifies operations with one secure and intelligent approach, plus comprehensive storage management. Global monitoring and cloud-based analytics maximize uptime and efficiency on systems worldwide. Hyper flexible to meet changing business needs, Intelliflash adapts and provides an agile storage structure that allows customers to take advantage of all-flash or hybrid flash systems.

“By expanding our Intelliflash portfolio, DDN can be the one-stop supplier of storage and data management solutions for AI at any scale,” said Dr. James Coomer, SVP, products. “As customers scale-up their AI applications, we are able to accelerate all stages of the AI development cycle.“

Nvidia DGX SuperPOD single SKU delivers performance without compromise
The company‘s solutions are integrated into Nvidia DGX SuperPOD, which offer the fastest path to scalable enterprise AI infrastructure. The combined solution was designed and deployed in production to solve some of the most challenging AI and HPC workloads, and enables the rapid implementation of a supercomputing infrastructure. In partnership with Arrow Electronics, Inc., a Fortune 110 value-added distributor, the DGX SuperPOD single SKU will be available for certified resellers. Not only does the single SKU provide the accelerated compute hardware consisting of 20 Nvidia DGX A100 systems, it also includes the Nvidia IB networking infrastructure, all-flash storage systems and support in one integrated bundle.

“As the leader in Intelligent Infrastructure solutions, we are delighted to be building on our successful channel partnerships,” said Peggy Maloney, director, channel programs and marketing, DDN and Tintri. “Our new and expanded channel portfolio will bring DDN’s differentiated solutions to power the success of enterprise customers.“

Data, AI and analytics summit
On July 1, 2021 DDN is holding its virtual Data, AI and Analytics Summit where customers, like Nvidia, will share how they have deployed company‘s Intelligent Infrastructure to accelerate workloads. The firm will also speak about its vision for breakthrough data architectures that deliver secure multi-cloud data mobility and performance to even the most challenging applications. The Summit is open to customers and non-customers – register here to attend.

The company also has a presence at the virtual ISC conference.

Availability:

• EXAScaler 6 and Insight 4.0 are targeted for release in 3Q21.

• The expanded range of Intelliflash systems are available directly from the company and through certified partners.

• The Nvidia DGX SuperPOD single SKU is available for the firm and Nvidia certified partners and their customers.

Resources:
EXA6 solutions
Insight 4.0
IntelliFlash systems
Single SKU and DDN’s PartnerLink program
Global Solution Partners
Partner Ecosystem