ATTO Technology S-Class manual Feature, Fibre Channel

Models: S-Class

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Appendix A ATA Disk Technology

ATA is the dominant disk drive technology today and will be for the foreseeable future. It offers all the cost advantages of a mass produced, consumer-driven technology which is rapidly being driven forward. Today ATA also offers all the performance and reliability features needed to create high performance ATA-based disk storage arrays.

We view ATA as the perfect disk drive technology for “in-the-box” disk storage array solutions.

Aggregated Data Interface Technology (ADXT™) with its built-in Virtual Device Manager (VDM), Data Routing Fabric (DRF) and ATA Interface Engines (AIE) smoothly and efficiently organizes Fibre Channel data streams for storage or retrieval on ATA disk drives. ADXT provides end users with the power and sophisticated data control needed to take moderately priced ATA disk drives combine them in a disk storage array and power them to the performance levels of SCSI or Fibre Channel disk arrays

Unlike other storage arrays which use expensive SCSI or Fibre Channel disk drives to achieve performance, the Diamond Series uses lower cost ATA disk drives combined with an intelligent midplane to create a storage array with exceptional price and performance characteristics.

ATA disk drives are used in the enormous PC marketplace and an estimated 85% of all disk drives sold today contain an ATA interface. Shipments of ATA drives are expected to grow rapidly over the next five years with increasing consumer and business demand. In general, ATA disk drives are the “driver” of all disk storage technology as the costs, volumes and demands of the PC marketplace are the primary focus of the world’s largest disk drive manufacturers.

ATA disk drives today offer capacities comparable to SCSI and FC disk drives – although at a tremendously lower cost. Advances in platter and head technology will push drive capacity along a very steep curve in the next five years. Interface advances are also planned for ATA drives with an Ultra100 ATA interface expected in 2001. This interface will provide low cost, simple and reliable communication just as ATA66 does, but at a much higher data rate.

Exhibit A-1 summarizes ATA and other disk interface standards. It clearly indicates that ATA drive technology offers characteristics that ideally suit it for “in the box” usage in high capacity, high performance disk arrays.

Exhibit A-1 Disk features and standards

Feature

IDE

ATA

SCSI

Fibre Channel

 

 

 

 

 

Connectivity

 

 

 

 

Max Devices

2

2

16

126...millions

Cable Length

46 cm

46 cm

25 m

10 km

 

 

 

 

 

Performance

 

 

 

 

Bandwidth

16 MB/sec.

66 MB/sec.

160 MB/sec.

200 MB/sec.

Bandwidth/drive

8 MB/sec.

33 MB/sec.

10 MB/sec.

1.6 MB/sec.

Multi-threaded I/O

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

 

 

Max Initiators

1

1

<16

125...millions

 

 

 

 

 

Topology

Bussed

Bussed

Bussed

Loop/Fabric

 

 

 

 

 

Error Detection

None

Yes

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

 

 

Protocol “weight”

very light

light

medium to heavy

heavy

 

 

 

 

 

Cost

 

 

 

 

Interface

n/a

lowest

medium to high

highest

Drives

n/a

lowest

medium to high

medium to high

 

 

 

 

 

Manageability

none

low to medium

medium

medium+

 

 

 

 

 

i

ATTO Technology Inc.

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ATTO Technology S-Class manual Feature, Fibre Channel

S-Class specifications

ATTO Technology S-Class is a comprehensive solution designed to optimize storage and networking performance for digital content creation and enterprise environments. This product line specializes in high-performance connectivity, facilitating seamless data transfer and management.

One of the key features of the S-Class is its advanced RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) capabilities. This incorporates various levels of RAID configurations, enabling users to choose the right balance between performance and redundancy. The technology ensures data integrity while maximizing throughput, a crucial aspect for workflows dealing with large files such as video editing and graphic design.

Another standout characteristic of the S-Class is its support for high-speed interfaces, including Thunderbolt and Fibre Channel. With the ability to leverage these high-bandwidth connections, users can achieve exceptional data transfer rates that significantly reduce the time required for file uploads and transfers. This is particularly important in environments demanding real-time data access, such as broadcasting and production studios.

The S-Class also incorporates intelligent storage management features. The ATTO ConfigTool offers a user-friendly interface for monitoring and configuring storage settings, allowing for real-time adjustments and performance tuning. This ensures that users can effectively manage their storage resources, balancing capacity and performance according to their specific needs.

Furthermore, the technology employs a robust set of data protection mechanisms, including snapshot and backup capabilities. This ensures that critical data is safeguarded against potential loss, enhancing operational reliability. The integration of these features supports comprehensive workflow solutions, benefiting industries that require continuous access to high-volume data.

Lastly, the S-Class is built to integrate seamlessly with popular operating systems and platforms, providing versatility and ease of deployment. Whether used in a small studio or a large enterprise environment, ATTO Technology's S-Class stands out as a solution that combines speed, reliability, and manageable performance, making it a top choice for professionals who demand the best in their storage and network infrastructure.

In summary, ATTO Technology S-Class is not just a storage solution; it's a gateway to unlocking peak performance in data management, tailored for the challenges of today’s data-driven landscape.