Advice about storage purchase decision - DAS vs NAS vs SAN
Greetings and thanks in advance for taking the time to help us with this critical decision.
Currently we have: Windows 2008 Dell server connected by SAS cable to a MD3000 storage (DAS)
It works as a http server to server files that amounts to a total of 15TB so far.
We are running out of space quickly and need to act now.
The volume is at its maximum limit now due to the way it was formatted initially - so attaching a MD1200 to extend the storage wouldn't work (we'll not be able to extend the volume
We are evaluating if we should get the new unit to be NAS vs SAN vs DAS.
DAS seems the simplest of them all, least complex and the the one with least possibility of bad configuration.
It can support up to 8 servers connected with single cables.
So, would you recommend we switch to an ISCSI SAN, DAS or NAS?
I'll follow up with whatever details would help you give a relevant advice to our specific case.
Thanks again
Currently we have: Windows 2008 Dell server connected by SAS cable to a MD3000 storage (DAS)
It works as a http server to server files that amounts to a total of 15TB so far.
We are running out of space quickly and need to act now.
The volume is at its maximum limit now due to the way it was formatted initially - so attaching a MD1200 to extend the storage wouldn't work (we'll not be able to extend the volume
We are evaluating if we should get the new unit to be NAS vs SAN vs DAS.
DAS seems the simplest of them all, least complex and the the one with least possibility of bad configuration.
It can support up to 8 servers connected with single cables.
So, would you recommend we switch to an ISCSI SAN, DAS or NAS?
I'll follow up with whatever details would help you give a relevant advice to our specific case.
Thanks again
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If budget is an issue i would say more is better in terms of space.
So if the DAS solution has been performing ok there is no need for iscsi/fiber san.
So if the DAS solution has been performing ok there is no need for iscsi/fiber san.
DAS is cheapest but "It can support up to 8 servers connected with single cables." describes what most people would all a SAS attached SAN, not DAS. DAS is generally considered to be a dumb shelf connected to a RAID controller inside the server and is the cheapest and best solution for a single server.
The MD3000 is generally considered to be a SAS attached SAN as it's shared storage. Dell may describe it as DAS on their website but the real manufacturer describes it as SAN - http://www.netapp.com/uk/products/storage-systems/e2700/index.aspx (actually the MD3000 is LSI Engenio but they sold the range to NetApp who still make later versions for Dell, IBM etc).
You will not get better performance from a SAN than from a DAS, at least if you have the same disks in each. Why would separating the RAID controller from the server with a bit of fibre optic cable speed it up rather than plugging it directly into the PCIe bus?
As far as real DAS is concerned the MD1000 range of expansion enclosures run on Dell PERCs just as well as they run on MD3000s.
The MD3000 is generally considered to be a SAS attached SAN as it's shared storage. Dell may describe it as DAS on their website but the real manufacturer describes it as SAN - http://www.netapp.com/uk/products/storage-systems/e2700/index.aspx (actually the MD3000 is LSI Engenio but they sold the range to NetApp who still make later versions for Dell, IBM etc).
You will not get better performance from a SAN than from a DAS, at least if you have the same disks in each. Why would separating the RAID controller from the server with a bit of fibre optic cable speed it up rather than plugging it directly into the PCIe bus?
As far as real DAS is concerned the MD1000 range of expansion enclosures run on Dell PERCs just as well as they run on MD3000s.
ASKER
So what would you recommend David?
SAS attached SAN - MD ISCSI SAN - EqualLogic ISCSI SAN?
We would love to be able to remotely replicate the volumes to another site but I guess that can be done with a SAS attached SAN - right?
SAS attached SAN - MD ISCSI SAN - EqualLogic ISCSI SAN?
We would love to be able to remotely replicate the volumes to another site but I guess that can be done with a SAS attached SAN - right?
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ASKER
It would work actually - thanks a lot :)
ASKER
We don't even have 8 servers yet - it is a single server which we aim to make high available by adding a 2nd.