Dell sprays hot fluid data across storage products

SharePoint object storage

Dell has worked with AvePoint to integrate its DocAve software with the DX6000 object storage system along with Dell services to produce a SharePoint backup and archiving storage system, one with a very long name; Dell Solution for Microsoft SharePoint Infrastructure Optimisation.

Dell says it enables:

• proactive capacity planning and management, to improve storage efficiency and provide up to 40 per cent faster application performance;
• business continuity – with consistent backups of the entire SharePoint infrastructure improving backup up to 29 times and recovery times up to 32 times over other backup approaches; and
• automated archiving.

DocAve software transfers data between SharePoint's primary storage and the DX6000. Data can also move between a SQL Server database used by SharePoint and the DX6000. The Dell/AvePoint stack migrates, reclaims, and interoperates with heterogeneous SQL storage.

The compression engine available of the DX6000 has been integrated with the DocAve app, and customers can set policies to use fast or slower but stronger compression in the object store.

There is a SharePoint reference architecture with EqualLogic used for primary storage and the DX6000 at the back end for older data. Compellent storage will be added to this reference architecture in the future.

Dell says its DX6000 product is making good progress, with sixteen DX6000 partners identified on a Dell slide – including AvePoint, Commvault and Symantec – and said it has customers in healthcare, higher education, financial services, engineering and government.

It also says we will see more integration products, composed of Dell's storage offerings with partner software and Dell services, in the future.

Faster networked storage access

Dell's EqualLogic arrays, used in iSCSI SANs, now support Force10 S4810 10Gbit/s and S60 1Gbit/10Gbit Ethernet switches. Deployment time for EqualLogic arrays is reduced through auto-recognition and auto-configuration features delivered in selected Dell PowerConnect switches.

PowerConnect 8024 10Gbit Ethernet switches and M8024-k Blade IO modules can be used with Compellent arrays in the future when they will reduce multi-step switch configuration to a single command.

Compellent arrays added support for Brocade's 16Gbit/s FIbre Channel DCX 8510 SAN backbone and 6510 24-48 port switch, enabling faster access to SAN data and/or more client support.

Dell made the point that its storage engineers have gone up in number from 200 in the 2006/7 timeframe to around 800 now, growing through recruitment and acquisition. There is much more to come on the storage front.

Availability

The DR4000 appliance and Compellent Storage Center 6.0 software will both be available by the end of March. The integrated DX6000/AvePoint/services SharePoint infrastructure optimisation combo will be available in January in the U.S. and in EMEA by the end of March. Brocade's 6510 and DCX 8510 products will be available in January.

Dell's Force10 S4810 and S60 switches and PowerConnect 8024 and M8024-k Blade IO modules are all currently available. ®