RamSan-500 User’s Manual
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Chapter 1 –
Introduction
1.1
Overview
The RamSan-500 is the World’s Fastest Flash-based storage system. The
basic unit contains nine RAID-protected Flash storage modules accessible
from the front, with a combined usable capacity of either 1 or 2-Terabytes
and a data bandwidth of 2 GB/sec. A single RamSan-500 fits in 4U of rack
space. Multiple RamSan-500 units scale capacity, bandwidth, and IOPS.
1.1.1
1.1.1
1.1.1
1.1.1
High
High
High
High P
P
P
Performance
erformance
erformance
erformance Solid
Solid
Solid
Solid-
-
-
-S
S
S
State
tate
tate
tate S
S
S
Storage
torage
torage
torage
Unlike other mass storage products, the RamSan-500 is not based on
mechanical rotating disk technology, but instead on high performance
memory technology. While each of the nine Flash storage modules may
look like a disk, there are no moving parts and it operates with a much
faster protocol, reducing access time and increasing the data transfer rate.
This is achieved with the use of better connectors (rugged, more data
pins) and a simple transfer protocol.
While the capacity and throughput of the RamSan-500 is impressive, the
key to the system’s power resides in its I/O structure. The RamSan-500
can be configured with 2-8 Fibre Channel (FC) ports. Internally, it can
handle the bandwidth and supply the IOPS needed for emerging storage
applications.
1.1.2
1.1.2
1.1.2
1.1.2
Easy
Easy
Easy
Easy IIIInstallation and
nstallation and
nstallation and
nstallation and C
C
C
Configuration
onfiguration
onfiguration
onfiguration
The RamSan-500 is easy to install on a Fibre Channel SAN or directly
attached to a server. Most common parameters, including the
management Ethernet port, can be set from the front panel. The
RamSan-500 also has monitoring and configuration capabilities
through a Web browser.
1.2
System Components
The system components for the RamSan-500 include:
9 Flash modules with 1 or 2 Terabytes of data storage capacity
16-64 GB DDR Cache
4 dual-ported 4G-bit Fibre Channel Controllers
Hot-swappable redundant power supplies
Easily replaceable fans
Front panel display for monitoring and configuration
Java-based monitoring
1.3
Power
The RamSan-500 includes two hot-swappable power modules that are
auto-ranging (they accept either 110 or 220 VAC power).
