A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to a Gestalt IT Tech Field Day in Austin, TX. One of the many stops on our journey was Dell HQ where the group of delegates got a first-hand behind the scenes look at some shiny new gear. Specifically, Team Dell shared with us some information about and a look at their next-generation EqualLogic arrays, which were formally announced today. The excitement in the room was palpable, with camera phones clicking away whilst nervous Dell PR folks asked us not to release our photos before the official launch date. To say that Dell was extremely generous and accommodating would be a huge understatement and I thank them for being gracious hosts.
Now, on to some specifics. Dell has released two new array series: The EqualLogic PS4100 and the PS6100. There are a number of models available within each of these series, which allows an organization to pick and choose an array that meet their specific capacity and performance needs. And, as has been the case since EqualLogic shipped their very first array, these models can be added to existing storage pools and there is full backward compatibility between devices.
The PS4100 serie
With the exception of two models, the new PS4100 class of arrays sports up to 24 2.5” drives in each 2U chassis. With the looming availability of 3TB drives, a single 2U device will be able to house up to 36TB of capacity (there is one PS4100 model that uses up to twelve 3.5” drives).
Let’s take a look at some general details:
- PS4100E. 12 x 3.5” NL SAS drives.
- PS4100X. 24 x 2.5” 10K RPM SAS drives.
- PS4100XV. 24 x 2.5” 15K RPM SAS drives.
- PS4100XV 3.5”. 12 x 3.5” 15K RPM SAS drives.
The PS6100 series
The PS6100 series has series expansion opportunity with up to 72TB of capacity in a single 3.5” array with 3TB drives.
Here are general details for the 6100 series:
- PS6100E. 24 x 3.5” NL SAS drives.
- PS6100S. 24 x 2.5” SSD drives.
- PS6100X. 24 x 2.5” 10K RPM SAS drives.
- PS6100XS. 7 x SSD drives + 17 x 2.5” 10K RPM drives.
- PS6100XV. 24 x 2.5” 15K RPM SAS drives.
- PS6100XV 3.5”. 24 x 3.5” 15K RPM drives.
Summary
The EqualLogic series of arrays have proven to be rock solid investments for those that have purchased them. Way back in 2005, I purchased an original PS200E array and had absolutely no regrets and its clear that Dell has taken this line to a new level.