DELL PS Series architecture
In addition, the PS Series Architecture’s snapshot capability exceeds the snapshot features available on the market today. The real-time synchronization of snapshots across multiple volumes occurs without interrupting applications. Snapshots allow administrators to perform online backups and can be scheduled at regular time intervals. If data loss occurs, archived information can be rapidly retrieved to restore data and return to normal operations.
The storage replication capabilities provided with the PS Series Architecture also enable administrators to replicate storage to a separate location and enhance disaster recovery procedures.
Other advanced features that are included with each PS Series array — without additional license fees or keys — include Auto-Snapshot Manager for Windows® with Smart Copy, multi-path I/O (MPIO), pooled and tiered storage, roles-based administration, storage virtualization, and thin provisioning. In addition, as new features are added to the PS Series over time, customers under warranty or under a service plan are entitled to new firmware releases free of additional charges.
Leverages Industry Standards
Each PS Series array uses standard Ethernet networks and industry-standard iSCSI protocols. An array has multiple Gigabit Ethernet network interfaces, and each interface performs at 124MB/second, full duplex. This design lowers purchase and connection costs and — unlike Fiber Channel solutions — greatly expands the number of administrators familiar with the technology that forms the basis of the PS Series Architecture, thus keeping the training required to a minimum.
Any Gigabit Ethernet switch can be used with an array to support most existing storage network infrastructures. By placing the intelligence in the storage arrays instead of the switch, management of the SAN and storage and network load balancing occurs in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
In addition, an array includes either Serial ATA (SATA) or Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) disks — the latest generation of disk drives — which provide enhanced performance, capacity, connectivity, and reliability. Each drive has a dedicated 300MB/second channel into the array. The drives are hot swappable and come in a variety of models optimized for performance and capacity. The advantages of Gigabit Ethernet, Serial Attached SCSI, and Serial ATA are many, and their feature sets and performance are expected to continue to grow.
The PS Series Architecture also can be used with most leading operating systems, applications, and management frameworks. Any standards-compliant iSCSI initiator can access a PS Series Group by using software implementations included with major operating systems or by using dedicated iSCSI host bus adapters provided by leading storage vendors. Thus, a solution is available for any environment and for every cost or performance need.
Table 2 describes how solutions based on the PS Series Architecture compare to traditional DAS and SAN solutions.
