section 1 | hp storage white paper |
| |
accurately, the traditional array and the HP Virtual | Consider: It is always easier to manage a | ||
Array would have similar performance. | smaller number of things than a larger number of | ||
However, the HP Virtual Array would still have | things. At first, bits were grouped into bytes. | ||
the performance advantage because of its ability | When there were too many bytes to1keep track | ||
to efficiently load balance across all the disks in | of, they had to be grouped into blocks. When | ||
the array both at the initial configuration and | there were too many blocks to manage, someone | ||
after capacity growth. In both stable and changing | invented volumes and volume managers. What do | ||
environments, the HP Virtual Array is the right | you think the next logical step is when there are too | ||
choice. Now, if the environment is not totally stable, | many volumes? | ||
then the HP virtual array is the | Answer: HP’s Virtual Array. | ||
When both arrays are initially configured, the | |||
|
| ||
traditional array should be faster at least for | summary | ||
a day or so, but after that the HP Virtual Array | |||
|
| ||
will catch up and continue to operate at peak | HP’s Virtual Array with HP’s patented Virtual | ||
performance for as long as the array is plugged | |||
Technology is the industry’s most intelligent disk | |||
in, while the traditional array will get slower | |||
array. Because of its unique ability to greatly | |||
over time. This is how it works. When the HP Virtual | |||
simplify storage management, it significantly | |||
Array is first turned on, it doesn’t know which | |||
reduces overall IT management costs and practically | |||
data needs to be in RAID 1+0 and which data | |||
eliminates mistakes caused by human error. HP’s | |||
needs to be in RAID 5. After a day or so of reading | |||
the access patterns, it will figure out which RAID | Virtual Technology also has a significant positive | ||
level is best suited for which data. Once that | impact on | ||
happens, the performance will be as good as in | eliminating “hot spots,” and by performance tuning | ||
any manually configured array. And, don’t forget, | the array 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. | ||
if the environment should change after that, even | for more information | ||
slightly, the HP Virtual Array will adjust while a | |||
manually configured array can do nothing but | For additional information on HP Virtual Arrays | ||
keep plugging along in a degraded mode. | |||
| and other HP storage products and solutions, | ||
Question: Are you saying that this technology | please call your local HP sales representative or | ||
is for everyone? I’m not looking for anything new. | visit our Web site at www.hp.com/go/storage. | ||
Answer: If it’s new to you, then it is understandable |
|
| |
that HP’s virtual technology might seem unnecessary. |
|
| |
After all, you’ve succeeded without it up till now. |
|
| |
But sometimes improvements do come along that |
|
| |
really do hold out the promise of a widespread |
|
| |
advantage. The dilemma of our rapidly advancing |
|
| |
technological age is to know which new technologies |
|
| |
should be ignored and which are the ones that |
|
| |
need to be grasped. |
|
|
1.8