Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute Selects Zstor to Enhanced Storage Solutions

Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute is a research institution dedicated to advancing our understanding of cancer and developing solutions for cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance research capabilities, it sought to expand its storage infrastructure to support the increasing volume of data generated in cancer research. This case study details the collaboration with Zstor GmbH to find a tailored solution that met institute’s specific requirements.

Challenge:
CRUK Cambridge Institute faced a pressing challenge: the need to extend its storage infrastructure, specifically for its Lustre Object Storage Servers (OSSs). With the growing demand for storage capacity and data processing speed, it sought a solution that could not only provide high performance but also ensure data redundancy for data integrity.

Solution:
To address this challenge, it turned to Zstor, a technology solutions provider, to find an optimal solution. The vendor recommended a storage solution that could meet the requirements of the institute.

CIB224NVG4 2-Node server

Key components
The CIB224NVG4 2-Node server, designed by Zstor, features a 2-node server configuration in a dense 2U format with 24 DapuStor NVMe Gen4 SSDs. This configuration enhances storage capacity and redundancy for CRUK Cambridge Institute, ensuring data availability even during hardware failures.

In the HPC domain, this technology is suited for providing the Lustre OSS/OST layers. It facilitates fast NVMe switched access to the Object Storage Targets on the storage array from the 2 internal Object Storage servers. These servers are accessible over a 200Gb/s IB network, optimizing data flow within the system.

Roealsen5 NVMe Gen4 SSD

The company‘s selection of DapuStor Roealsen5 NVMe Gen4 SSDs aligns with the customer’s requirements for speed and robust storage. The Roealsen5 Series, designed on DapuStor DP600 controller firmware with 3D eTLC NAND Flash, results in industry SSDs. These SSDs offer high speed, reliability, low latency, and power efficiency, contributing to an optimized TCO for enterprise IT, cloud facilities, manufacturing, and AI applications.

Results:
The implementation of this storage solution at CRUK Cambridge Institute yielded significant results, positively impacting the institute’s research capabilities and infrastructure.

Key outcomes include:

• Improved research tasks: The integration of the CIB224NVG4 server with DapuStor Roealsen5 NVMe Gen4 SSDs improved data processing and storage performance. This enhancement enabled researchers at the institute to accelerate their HPC research tasks, process larger datasets, and perform more complex analyses.

• Redundancy and data integrity: The 2-node server configuration provided redundancy, ensuring data integrity and reducing the risk of data loss in case of hardware issues. This enhanced the reliability of their storage infrastructure.

• Satisfaction with consulting, implementation, and support: CRUK Cambridge Institute expressed its satisfaction with the consulting, implementation, and support services provided by Zstor and DapuStor. The collaboration and expertise offered by the 2 companies were integral to the successful implementation of the storage solution.

Helmut Kopel, Zstor, said: “Collaborating with CRUK Cambridge Institute on this project was a rewarding experience. Our tailored storage solution not only met but exceeded their expectations. We are proud to contribute to the advancement of cancer research through innovative technology solutions.”

Alfred Chase Hui, DapuStor Corp., said: “Excited to be part of the team with Zstor in the formation of the tailored storage solution for CRUK Cambridge Institute. The unique combination of DapuStor Roealsen5 series features with high speed, superior reliability, low latency, and excellent power efficiency, bringing optimised TCO to the solution.”

Conclusion:
By partnering with Zstor and DapuStor and implementing a performance, redundant storage solution, CRUK Cambridge Institute addressed their storage infrastructure needs. The solution met these needs and also allowed for more flexible analysis and workflows to be considered due to the higher IO throughput.

This case study highlights the value of tailored technology solutions in research institutions and the positive impact such solutions can have on the efficiency and effectiveness of research activities. Collaboration with technology providers like Zstor plays a crucial role in supporting cutting-edge research initiatives.