Hewlett-Packard StorageWorks P4800 BladeSystem SAN and EVA Cluster

Creating a virtual pool of shared storage resources is a key technology in the evolution to a converged infrastructure. StorageWorks P4800 BladeSystem storage area network (SAN) and the StorageWorks Enterprise Virtual Array (EVA) Cluster enable clients to consolidate servers, storage and desktops by creating virtual resource pools of capacity. This enables clients to easily shift resources as the organisation requires.

HP hardware and software architecture scales to support thousands of virtual desktops in a simple, modular design that is presized and pretested. The reference architecture is claimed to deliver three times the productivity for IT administrators, supports 1600 users at 50% less cost and requires 60% less space than traditional client virtualisation implementations.

An integral component is the StorageWorks P4800 BladeSystem SAN, which provides scalable, shared storage for a converged server, storage and networking environment. It delivers 63 TB of storage capacity with four storage blades connected to 140 disk drives.

Additional benefits include faster deployment with a pretested and performance-tuned configuration designed for multiple client virtualisation software implementations, including Microsoft Hyper-V with Citrix XenDesktop and VMWare View.

It optimises system performance by balancing the workload across blades and disk drives to avoid storage bottlenecks.

It increases productivity by distributing storage resources across multiple sites to ensure better business continuity. As a result, end users have access to data during failure conditions such as power outages and human errors.

It reduces networking costs and simplifies management with Virtual Connect technology. Integrating the P4800 into the BladeSystem enclosure eliminates external storage switches and cables.

It enables improved resource utilisation by leveraging the BladeSystem for common power and cooling.

The StorageWorks EVA Cluster is an integrated solution consisting of multiple EVAs that eliminates disparate ‘islands’ of storage. The cluster enables clients to manage a single resource pool of capacity containing up to 2 PB of data and nearly 2000 drives allowing clients to consolidate up to 600% more storage than a single EVA array. By providing a virtual pool of storage and a common set of storage features, clients can increase storage utilisation up to a claimed 300%.

Benefits include improved continuity with transparent failover software that maintains application and availability between arrays to ensure uninterrupted access to data.