IBM Flex System V7000 Storage Node

IBM Flex System V7000 Storage Node is an integrated storage system for IBM PureFlex System and IBM Flex System , designed to deliver high performance, advanced function, HA, and modular and scalable storage capacity.

PureFlex System and Flex System integrate multiple server architectures, networking, storage, and system management capability into a single system that is easy to deploy and manage.

They have built-in virtualization support of servers, storage, and networking to speed provisioning and increase resiliency. In addition, they support multiple open industry standards, OSs, networking and storage fabrics, virtualization, and system management protocols to easily fit within existing and future datacenter environments. They are scalable and extendable with multi-generational upgrades to protect and maximize IT investments.

The Flex System V7000 Storage Node is a block storage system designed to integrate into the PureFlex System or Flex System infrastructure for rapid storage deployment and breakthrough management simplicity. By enabling virtualization, consolidation, and tiering in businesses of all sizes, it is designed to improve application availability and resource utilization. Flex System V7000 offers easy-to-use, efficient, and cost-effective management capabilities for both new and existing storage resources in the IT infrastructure. This storage system combines no-compromise design along with virtualization, efficiency, and performance capabilities.

Flex System V7000 Storage Node is built on the storage virtualization and efficiency capabilities of Storwize V7000, including:

System Storage Easy Tier for automated SSD optimization
Real-time Compression for data footprint reduction with physical and logical integration into PureFlex System or Flex System

Flex System V7000 helps simplify and speed PureFlex System and Flex System deployment, providing integration of server and storage management to automate and streamline provisioning for greater responsiveness to business needs and lower overall cost.

Speed Time to Value with:

Integration by design:
Automates deployment with integration into PureFlex System or Flex System infrastructure for deployment in minutes, not weeks.

Simplified experience:
Simplifies management with an integrated, intuitive user interface for ease of use and faster system accessibility to increase administrative efficiency and simplicity.

Built-in expertise:

Virtualized storage
Virtualizes third-party storage for investment protection and nondisruptive migration of the current storage infrastructure.

Optimize performance and costs for mixed workloads
Optimizes SSD usage with Easy Tier for increased performance of up to 3 times more throughput with only 5% flash storage in the configuration as compared with an all-disk configuration.

The following features and capabilities
are available:

Larger drives:
Increase the maximum internal capacity by 33% using 1.2TB 10K RPM SAS drives instead of 900GB 10K RPM SAS drives, or 20% using 1.2TB 10K RPM SAS drives instead of 1TB NL SAS drives.

Ability to use Real-time Compression
and Easy Tier together:
Enables users to get high performance and high efficiency at the same time.

Scalability enhancements:
Enable the Storwize Software family to handle larger configurations with more hosts using more volumes with more VMs.

1,024 hosts per I/O group: Two times the previous number
2,048 volumes per host: Four times the previous number
2,048 WWPNs per I/O group: Four times the previous number

Flex System V7000 Storage Node requires:

Flex System V7000 Control Enclosure with optional Flex System V7000 or Storwize V7000 Expansion Enclosures.
Flex System V7000 software version 7.1 or later, for operation. Use of the software is entitled through the acquisition of Flex System V7000 software licenses.
Flex System Enterprise Chassis with all necessary components to support Flex System V7000 as a node, and a switch module supporting the connectivity option configured with the Flex System V7000.

Planned availability date
June 14, 2013