Over the last several years, there has been overwhelming movement among large organizations to implement storage area networks. The reason is that a Storage Area Network (SAN) offers numerous benefits when it comes to the storage and retrieval of data.
Most SAN storage area network solutions utilize Fibre Channel technology which provides higher speeds and greater distances. Fibre Channel is a high performance serial interface that was developed by the computer industry specifically to address data storage needs. Because it is an open standard that is protocol independent, Fibre Channel works equally well regardless of operating environment. The additional benefits of Fibre Channel include increased bandwidth, scalability and distance.
Fibre Channel is easy to install and scale. A Fibre Channel device does not have to be connected directly to a host. Instead, hubs and switches can be used to create Fibre Channel storage networks. Each loop supports up to 126 devices on a single connection. This means that extremely high storage capacity is available by adding devices to the loop. To contrast, SCSI buses can only handle 16 connections.
When it comes to cabling, Fibre Channel gives users a choice of copper or fiber optic. Both have a small diameter allowing for more flexibility when running cable in tight spaces. Fibre Channel also allows for distances of up to 10km between devices when using fiber optics.
- Fibre Channel provides many benefits including:
- Designed specifically for storage
- Protocol independent- Not host dependent
- Highly scalable - Modular scalability allowing for pay-as-you-grow expenditure
- Greater distance between devices
- Higher Bandwidth - Higher bandwidth and greater performance
- Maximized Hardware - Maximized hardware utilization Cost Effective when considering I/O and risk
- High Availability - High availability and fault tolerance for expanded business continuance
- Better Access - Better access to information by sharing data across the enterprise
- Heterogeneous- Freedom from vendor dependence through the use of heterogeneous hardware and software
These benefits used to come with burdensome upfront cost for equipment and installation. Anything with a reasonable cost was yesterday’s technology and not best suited for high performance data networks. IceWEB’s Turnkey storage area network changes all of that.
The TruEnterprise product family includes the TE-244, TE-246, and TE-444 in IceWEB’s Fibre Channel RAID storage line. Our TruEnterprise devices not only support advanced storage strategies but allows you to match your data to storage that has an appropriate level of performance and availability. This gives you a lower cost of ownership without any negative impact on your business.
Fibre Channel is the dominant SAN technology today, but emerging storage networking technologies have the potential to change the SAN technology landscape tomorrow. Over time new technologies are allowing our clients to make depart from traditional storage infrastructures by using a “hybrid” methodology including technologies such as iSCSI, and NAS engines. As with all new technologies, today's storage architects face interoperability challenges, and the continuous injection of new technologies into the market leave implementers facing even more choices.
With this in mind all IceWEB solutions are designed with a “modular’ approach so not only do they support the SANs of today, but that they support any solutions such as, clustered redundant systems, remote office appliances, field deployable units, implemented to support NAS and iSCSI access, or simply attached directly to a server. IceWEB storage solutions can be custom tailored for backup, data sharing or performance improvements.
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