Keck Graduate Institute Chooses Reldata

RELDATA Inc. announced that Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences (KGI), a member of The Claremont Colleges in Claremont, California, has selected RELDATA to help improve campus-wide access to data and user productivity. KGI deployed the RELDATA 9240i unified storage system to manage both its block and file storage to transition from an older NAS system to an iSCSI SAN.

The RELDATA solution also allowed KGI to implement a cost-effective scalability strategy, as well as implement disaster recovery policies to quickly restore data and applications in emergency situations such as earthquakes.

Keck Graduate Institute offers an interdisciplinary graduate program that combines applied life sciences, bioengineering, bioethics and business management. The two-building campus has an IT infrastructure comprised of numerous Microsoft Windows and Red Hat Linux servers and Windows XP desktops that run Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Office, and KGI’s computer software for student information and records.

Following an internal review, KGI realized its existing Apple XRAID solution was not equipped to meet its block and file storage requirements and that a newer solution was needed to manage both protocols in a simple, affordable way.

Working with value added reseller RJ Sales Company, KGI replaced its existing system with a 24TB RELDATA 9240i system so that it could manage both NAS and SAN simultaneously, and accommodate the storage and email needs for both faculty and a student population that is expected to double over the next four years to more than 200. In addition, KGI can now support its IP infrastructure with lower cost iSCSI, which provides significant cost advantages over Fibre Channel storage systems.

The RELDATA storage system is a key component of KGI’s data infrastructure that provides adequate headroom for students to use the same Exchange server as faculty and staff. It also accommodates KGI’s trend of unstoppable data growth while meeting the school’s accessibility requirements with simple management from a single console. KGI is using RELDATA’s offering to manage both block and file storage affordably and simply from a single console.

"Our primary goal is keeping data highly available and accessible to faculty, staff and students to optimize their productivity and facilitate learning and research," said Bill Roberts, director of information technology, Keck Graduate Institute. "RELDATA’s unified storage solution complements our efforts to build an IT infrastructure that is both robust and expandable. Now, we have the flexibility needed to scale our infrastructure as we grow without incurring costly licensing fees. In addition, RELDATA works seamlessly with virtualized VMware server architecture, for greater ease-of-use and manageability."

"It was important to identify a storage solution that could run both NAS and SAN so that KGI’s move from NAS to iSCSI SAN would be as seamless as possible and at a reasonable cost," said Reid Hymas, president, RJ Sales. "KGI evaluated other unified storage solutions, but chose RELDATA because it eliminated the need to purchase more equipment and to ‘jury rig’ a solution that would support both NAS and SAN. With RELDATA, KGI got a solution for both NAS and SAN in one device, without having to forklift its existing infrastructure."

Built from the ground up, the RELDATA Unified Storage platform is based on an open, software-centric architecture that delivers performance for storage consolidation within complex multi-vendor and virtualized server environments. RELDATA’s Unified Storage Engine (USE) leverages the iSCSI fabric to manage block and file environments more cost-effectively than with Fibre Channel (FC) alternatives. It provides mid-size and remote enterprises with significant benefits compared to alternative FC networks including ease of implementation and simplified storage management that results in significant cost savings.

"Mid-size organizations need a next-generation storage architecture that offers the flexibility to cost-effectively grow their storage capacity, works with existing third party vendors, and ensures high availability of data," said Steven Murphy, CEO, RELDATA. "We are pleased to be the unified storage solution of choice for Keck Graduate Institute, once again proving the value customers are achieving with our technology as they scale their organizations."