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Planning: MD3600f Series Storage Array Terms and Concepts

This chapter explains terms and concepts used for configuration and operation of MD3600f Series storage arrays.

Physical Disks, Virtual Disks, and Disk Groups

Physical disks in your storage array provide the physical storage capacity for your data. Before you can begin writing data to the storage array, you must configure the physical storage capacity into logical components, called disk groups and virtual disks.

A disk group is a set of physical disks upon which multiple virtual disks are created. The maximum number of physical disks supported in a disk group is 96 drives for RAID 0, RAID 1, and RAID10, and 30 drives for RAID 5 and RAID 6. You can create disk groups from unconfigured capacity on your storage array.

A virtual disk is a partition in a disk group that is made up of contiguous data segments of the physical disks in the disk group. A virtual disk consists of data segments from all physical disks in the disk group. Virtual disks and disk groups are set up according to how you plan to organize your data. For example, you might have one virtual disk for inventory, a second virtual disk for financial and tax information, and so on.

All virtual disks in a disk group support the same RAID level. The storage array supports up to 255 virtual disks (minimum size of 10 MB each) that can be assigned to host servers. Each virtual disk is assigned a Logical Unit Number (LUN) that is recognized by the host operating system.

Planning: MD3600f Series Storage Array Terms and Concepts

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Dell MD3620F Planning MD3600f Series Storage Array Terms and Concepts, Physical Disks, Virtual Disks, and Disk Groups
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MD3620F, MD3600f specifications

Dell's MD3620F and MD3600F storage arrays are designed for businesses seeking dependable, high-performance storage solutions tailored to meet the demands of modern data management. These models offer a blend of scalability, efficiency, and advanced features, making them well-suited for a range of applications, from virtual environments to critical database operations.

One of the primary features of the MD3620F and MD3600F is their support for a hybrid storage architecture. This approach allows organizations to combine flash storage with traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) to optimize performance and cost. The MD3620F focuses heavily on all-flash configurations, delivering exceptional speed and lower latency, ideal for I/O-intensive workloads.

Scalability is another hallmark of these storage solutions. The MD3600F allows users to scale up to 120 drives, providing robust capacity to meet growing data needs. The MD3620F is engineered for environments where data availability and speed are paramount, with support for high IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second) and consistent performance under stress.

In terms of data management, both systems integrate with Dell’s proprietary software, which enhances operational efficiency through features like automated tiering. This technology optimizes data placement between different storage types based on access frequency, ensuring that hot data is readily available while reducing costs associated with less critical data.

Reliability is crucial for businesses that depend on their storage systems. The MD3620F and MD3600F come equipped with advanced data protection mechanisms, such as RAID support, which safeguards against data loss, and snapshot capabilities that provide point-in-time copies of data. Moreover, these solutions include hot-swappable components, ensuring minimal downtime for maintenance and repairs.

Connectivity is also a strong suit of these storage arrays. They support multiple connectivity options, including SAS and iSCSI, allowing for flexible integration into existing IT infrastructures. This adaptability enhances their appeal to a wide range of enterprise environments.

In summary, the Dell MD3620F and MD3600F stand out as robust storage solutions with a combination of hybrid and all-flash configurations, scalability, advanced data management tools, and enhanced reliability features. These characteristics make them ideal for organizations looking to enhance their data storage capabilities while maintaining high performance and efficiency.
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