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Expansion Disk Space that Multiple
Servers Can Share
If one server runs out of capacity, soon others will, too.
You have applications spread across multiple machines: mail
servers, application servers, database servers, file servers
and web servers. What do you do when the database server runs
low on disk space, and there's no more room for expansion?
Many will buy another database server. But think twice --
if you continue down this path, chances are that you'll soon
have to buy another mail server and file server for the same
reason. This isn't the best way to spend your precious IT
budget.
A much more cost-effective solution is available from DataCore.
Our SANmelody™ product turns a general-purpose server
into an expansion "disk server" from which other
systems can draw capacity.
| The SANmelody disk server approach
buys you several unique benefits: |
| 1. |
Surplus capacity in one disk server is available
to any other application that needs it. Unlike a second
database server, disks are no longer dedicated to a
single application. |
| 2. |
When the next machine runs out of capacity, you don't
need to buy yet another application-specific server. |
3. |
There's no need to license and deploy another instance
of the application just to address a capacity issue. |
Plug and play ease
Your existing servers connect to the expansion
disk server using an Ethernet LAN. The additional disk capacity
appears as if it comes from internal disk drives. No application
changes or application licenses are required to take advantage
of the new space.
Ideal for Growth, Extra Security
and High Availability
Although data growth is often the primary justification for
buying more storage, more and more businesses are acquiring
capacity specifically to store online copies of critical data
for enhanced security and data availability. A disk server
makes it easier to achieve those benefits in a cost-effective
manner.
Using a technique called data mirroring or RAID-1, each time
an application saves data to disk, the host operating system
transparently stores the data on a local disk volume as well
as on a completely separate disk volume provided by the disk
server.
Should either volume fail, the other copy takes over immediately
as a real-time backup.
Although RAID-1 can be used across two drives inside an application
server, it does little good if the server catches fires, gets
wet or simply malfunctions. Having a mirrored copy on a separate
disk server, ideally in a different room, increases protection
levels and enables you to recover the data by simply connecting
a replacement machine to the disk server and reassigning the
critical volumes. It's just like rebooting the original application
server after an unexpected outage.
Non-disruptive Expansion
Once in place, DataCore's SANmelody software also makes future
disk expansion non-disruptive. You won't have to power down
an application server to add more disk space. Instead, an
intuitive GUI lets you assign disk server capacity to any
application over the network with a few mouse clicks. The
software maintains a pool of free space, which can be carved
into logical disks for the next needy client.
Advanced Options When You Need
Them
Optional SANmelody software modules address host-independent
point-in-time snapshots, redundant disk servers, auto-provisioning
of disk space, and remote replication over IP WANs. You can
start with the basic package, then upgrade to advanced features
when the need arises.
Copyright DataCore
Software, reproduced with permission. |
