HP 3PAR gets a boost with SSD

CalvinZ — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 05:31:26 GMT

Today we made a couple of announcements focused on solid state technology. There are two pieces of the announcement - one focused on HP 3PAR and the other on HP ProLiant Gen8. We announced an all-solid state drive (SSD) configuration for 3PAR. We also announced HP Smart Cache for the HP ProLiant Gen8 servers. It's server-based caching to accelerate performance. Check out the blog post to get the details. There's also a podcast you can listen to.

Re: HP 3PAR gets a boost with SSD

Sam Routledge — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 07:59:47 GMT

Hi Calvin,

A 'hefty wodge' would probably be accurately translated as 'a fair chunk' or 'a decent amount'. It may not be the dictionary definition, but to me a wodge would be the maximum amount of pie, stew, mashed potato etc that you could get out of the dish and serve yourself in a single scoop with whatever implement you are using.

I hope that helps your American readership!

Sam.

Re: HP 3PAR gets a boost with SSD

CalvinZ — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 13:54:57 GMT

Thanks Sam! Hope you are well and hope you make it to HP Discover in Frankfurt. I'm really looking forward to it!

Re: HP 3PAR gets a boost with SSD

nate — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 20:44:19 GMT

I assume the all SSD option is mainly a marketing thing since I can't think of anyone in their right mind that would go with such a configuration :)

Given what I read on The Register I was expecting formal SPC-1 numbers and was mostly curious as to whether the system could match the spinning rust performance by using RAID 5 on SSD insead of RAID 1 on rust, thus dramatically increasing usable capacity given the small size of SSDs. Also would be interested to see the latency.

But based on what I've seen here it doesn't look like formal testing was done just a basic assumption that 512 SSDs can tap out the controllers. I'm sure it's a safe assumption but I like more details :)

Also to note that 512 SSDs on a 3PAR platform would still require 16 drive chassis, which I believe, with controllers means 3 full size cabinets (and thusly I believe 30kW of power provisioned - even though I'm sure nowhere near 30kW would be used - many facilities charge based on circuit size regardless of usage). As much as I like, use and admire the 3PAR architecture - this configuration isn't a key selling point! Much more useful to have a mix of SSD and spinning rust and use Adaptive Optimization - or hopefully some sort of SSD-based, array-based read and write cache (in addition to those that wish to rely on server-based SSD-caching). Of course the SSD-based caching doesn't yet exist on 3PAR, hopefully sometime soon.......

It's nice that the density has been significantly increased, perhaps someone can answer whether or not the drive chassis in such a configuration is using 4 FC ports per drive chassis instead of the standard two ? My T400's chassis just used two FC connections, though there were two more available (originally used for daisy chanining I believe but that practice was stopped many years ago). I would assume using the second set of FC ports on the chassis would allow 3PAR to drive double the I/O to the chassis. Add the boost of speed from 4Gbps(T-class) to 8Gbps(V-class) could potentially double the performance there again.

T-class had a max of 8 SSDs (2 mags) per chassis, V-class goes to 32 (8 mags)..

Come on 3PAR^H^H^H^HHP let's get some array-based SSD caching technology going here! :) I envision some really high performance SLC SSDs for the caching (since only a small amount would be needed say a few TBs on a bigger system), combine that with AO and other drive types along with the slower more cost effective SSDs that 3PAR uses now (or last I recall they used, maybe it's changed recently) for tiering.

article HP 3PAR gets a boost with SSD in Around the Storage Block Blog

HP 3PAR gets a boost with SSD

Re: HP 3PAR gets a boost with SSD

Re: HP 3PAR gets a boost with SSD

Re: HP 3PAR gets a boost with SSD