Comments for Technical Deep Dive http://blog.nigelpoulton.com with nigel poulton Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:37:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 Comment on Ive Seen The Future of SSD Arrays! by Donny Parrott http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/ive-seen-the-future-of-ssd-arrays/comment-page-1/#comment-1716 Donny Parrott Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:37:54 +0000 http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/ive-seen-the-future-of-ssd-arrays/#comment-1716 Nutanix has beaten HP to the punch. Bye, bye storage arrays... Nutanix has beaten HP to the punch. Bye, bye storage arrays…

]]> Comment on Xsigo Would Seriously Up HP’s Game by Donny http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/xsigo-would-seriously-up-hps-game/comment-page-1/#comment-1677 Donny Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:10:32 +0000 http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/xsigo-would-seriously-up-hps-game/#comment-1677 While I support the idea of integration between Xsigo and HP, I believe a better approach would be to make an I/O module for the C7000 chassis in partnership. I like the idea of a solution where the chassis can be linked by IB and utilize spare slots for the external I/O modules. This way, you retain the flexibility of the HP chassis while empowering next generation designs. Having worked with all three (Cisco UCS, HP BladeSystems, and Xsigo), each has their merit. Xsigo is the undisputed I/O performance and flexibility leader. HP is rock solid, proven, and cost effective. UCS provides leading edge configuration and management. HP does need to begin work on a more unified chassis management system. While I support the idea of integration between Xsigo and HP, I believe a better approach would be to make an I/O module for the C7000 chassis in partnership. I like the idea of a solution where the chassis can be linked by IB and utilize spare slots for the external I/O modules. This way, you retain the flexibility of the HP chassis while empowering next generation designs.

Having worked with all three (Cisco UCS, HP BladeSystems, and Xsigo), each has their merit. Xsigo is the undisputed I/O performance and flexibility leader. HP is rock solid, proven, and cost effective. UCS provides leading edge configuration and management.

HP does need to begin work on a more unified chassis management system.

]]> Comment on Ive Seen The Future of SSD Arrays! by Mike James http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/ive-seen-the-future-of-ssd-arrays/comment-page-1/#comment-1673 Mike James Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:13:07 +0000 http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/ive-seen-the-future-of-ssd-arrays/#comment-1673 Great post, great technical detail and analysis.  One correction: "<span>(PCIe 12Gbps 6 lane)"</span> The SFF-8639 connector can support either Multilane SAS (12 Gb/s, 4 lanes) OR 4 lanes of PCIe Gen3 (8 Gb/s, 4 lanes).  Two of the lanes can be either SAS or PCIe, so you are correct that there are 6 lanes. In the configuration you saw at Discover, it was PCIe Gen3 x4 Great post, great technical detail and analysis.  One correction:
"(PCIe 12Gbps 6 lane)"
The SFF-8639 connector can support either Multilane SAS (12 Gb/s, 4 lanes) OR 4 lanes of PCIe Gen3 (8 Gb/s, 4 lanes).  Two of the lanes can be either SAS or PCIe, so you are correct that there are 6 lanes.
In the configuration you saw at Discover, it was PCIe Gen3 x4

]]> Comment on Ive Seen The Future of SSD Arrays! by SSDs choked by crummy disk interfaces: NVMe and SCSI Express Explained « Sattler's Online Diary http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/ive-seen-the-future-of-ssd-arrays/comment-page-1/#comment-1668 SSDs choked by crummy disk interfaces: NVMe and SCSI Express Explained « Sattler's Online Diary Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:32:30 +0000 http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/ive-seen-the-future-of-ssd-arrays/#comment-1668 [...] There is no SCSI Express website but HP Discover in Vienna last month revealed a fair amount about SCSI express, which is described in a Nigel Poulton blog. [...] [...] There is no SCSI Express website but HP Discover in Vienna last month revealed a fair amount about SCSI express, which is described in a Nigel Poulton blog. [...]

]]> Comment on Ive Seen The Future of SSD Arrays! by Technology Short Take #18 - blog.scottlowe.org - The weblog of an IT pro specializing in virtualization, storage, and servers http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/ive-seen-the-future-of-ssd-arrays/comment-page-1/#comment-1657 Technology Short Take #18 - blog.scottlowe.org - The weblog of an IT pro specializing in virtualization, storage, and servers Mon, 12 Dec 2011 04:51:39 +0000 http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/ive-seen-the-future-of-ssd-arrays/#comment-1657 [...] (or SCSI over PCIe, SoP). He wrote up his thoughts about SoP and its future in the storage industry here. Further Twitter-based discussions about fabrics led him to say that HP buying Xsigo would bring [...] [...] (or SCSI over PCIe, SoP). He wrote up his thoughts about SoP and its future in the storage industry here. Further Twitter-based discussions about fabrics led him to say that HP buying Xsigo would bring [...]

]]> Comment on Xsigo Would Seriously Up HP’s Game by Cam Ford http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/xsigo-would-seriously-up-hps-game/comment-page-1/#comment-1649 Cam Ford Sun, 11 Dec 2011 01:43:32 +0000 http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/xsigo-would-seriously-up-hps-game/#comment-1649 Hi Nigel, Cam (Xsigo) here.  Things are going to get really interesting real soon.  Cisco is slated to start shipping their UCS 2.0 including their new 8x10Gb CNA that runs in two 40G (4x10 LAG) connections into the new 2208 Fabric Extender....tying in to the new UP6248 Fabric Interconnect in up to 8x10Gb LAGs.  This will give Cisco 40G per server connection. Since HP, Dell, and IBM are all reliant on Emulex and Qlogic CNAs....they will not have any viable 40Gb solution for quite a while.  Xsigo will be the ONLY 40g (and even 56Gb) solution.  They will need us to compete with Cisco even more. Hi Nigel,
Cam (Xsigo) here.  Things are going to get really interesting real soon.  Cisco is slated to start shipping their UCS 2.0 including their new 8×10Gb CNA that runs in two 40G (4×10 LAG) connections into the new 2208 Fabric Extender….tying in to the new UP6248 Fabric Interconnect in up to 8×10Gb LAGs.  This will give Cisco 40G per server connection.
Since HP, Dell, and IBM are all reliant on Emulex and Qlogic CNAs….they will not have any viable 40Gb solution for quite a while.  Xsigo will be the ONLY 40g (and even 56Gb) solution.  They will need us to compete with Cisco even more.

]]> Comment on Xsigo Would Seriously Up HP’s Game by john http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/xsigo-would-seriously-up-hps-game/comment-page-1/#comment-1647 john Sat, 10 Dec 2011 23:49:06 +0000 http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/xsigo-would-seriously-up-hps-game/#comment-1647 Nigel, well articulated. Xsigo's approach to the issues are to be fabric agnostic. They have both IB and Ethernet that support Virtual I/O. They seem to be the only real alternative to UCS. Nigel, well articulated. Xsigo's approach to the issues are to be fabric agnostic. They have both IB and Ethernet that support Virtual I/O. They seem to be the only real alternative to UCS.

]]> Comment on Ive Seen The Future of SSD Arrays! by Xsigo Would Seriously Up HP’s Game – Technical Deep Dive http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/ive-seen-the-future-of-ssd-arrays/comment-page-1/#comment-1634 Xsigo Would Seriously Up HP’s Game – Technical Deep Dive Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:08:47 +0000 http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/ive-seen-the-future-of-ssd-arrays/#comment-1634 [...] got pretty excited about SCSI Express the other week when I was at HP Discover in [...] [...] got pretty excited about SCSI Express the other week when I was at HP Discover in [...]

]]> Comment on Ive Seen The Future of SSD Arrays! by Promovare content» Fusion-io: SSDs are useless … Let’s build one http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/ive-seen-the-future-of-ssd-arrays/comment-page-1/#comment-1633 Promovare content» Fusion-io: SSDs are useless … Let’s build one Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:23:36 +0000 http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/ive-seen-the-future-of-ssd-arrays/#comment-1633 [...] Poulton blogged: “The concept box on display at Discover is an early prototype, but was an HP ProLiant server [...] [...] Poulton blogged: “The concept box on display at Discover is an early prototype, but was an HP ProLiant server [...]

]]> Comment on Ive Seen The Future of SSD Arrays! by Fusion-IO – Developing super-speed SSD – SCSI Express accelerates SSD interface « Storage CH Blog http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/ive-seen-the-future-of-ssd-arrays/comment-page-1/#comment-1632 Fusion-IO – Developing super-speed SSD – SCSI Express accelerates SSD interface « Storage CH Blog Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:00:53 +0000 http://blog.nigelpoulton.com/ive-seen-the-future-of-ssd-arrays/#comment-1632 [...] Poulton blogged: “The concept box on display at Discover is an early prototype, but was an HP ProLiant server [...] [...] Poulton blogged: “The concept box on display at Discover is an early prototype, but was an HP ProLiant server [...]

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