EqualLogic has added data protection capabilities to its IP SAN solutions — at no cost.
“Users are expecting to pay high-end prices for high-end features like replication,” says Steve Duplessie, founder and senior analyst at Enterprise Storage Group. “It’s a bold move to give away that type of functionality.”
“Adding this kind of value will turn heads at the very least,” Duplessie continues, “and could very well change the way we think about high-end array software.”
PeerStorage Array 100E
EqualLogic has expanded the standard features of its PeerStorage Array 100E to include auto-replication capabilities for automatic backup and disaster
protection. Data replication on the PeerStorage Array requires no additional license or server software and leverages existing network infrastructure. Management is performed via a single management structure that manages all of the PeerStorage Array’s integrated features.
User-defined snapshots (instant, point-in-time copies) can be created and stored at any location. Point-in-time copies are automatically transported
to the designated location, and data is preserved on disk in a usable format for rapid recovery in the event of disaster. The product also offers support for RAID 5 and different storage configurations at different sites.
Pricing for the PeerStorage Array 100E starts at about $30,000 for a 3TB configuration — about 80% less than an equivalent Fibre Channel SAN — and can scale to 112TB or higher, according to EqualLogic marketing VP John Joseph. The platform can install in 20 minutes with any IP network, he says, and “low-touch” operation frees IT administrators for other duties.
Joseph reports the company has more than 70 customers, and “strong repeat business,” including a number of customers who have scrapped their FC SANs for IP SANs.
“iSCSI is real, and the market’s mature,” Joseph told Enterprise Storage Forum.
The replication feature is available as a free upgrade for current EqualLogic customers.
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