3PAR Server Arrays Integrate Fat-to-Thin Processing

  • By Chris Riedel
  • 09/04/08

Utility storage provider 3PAR has announced the release of the 3PAR InServ T400 and T800 Storage Servers. The new hardware is built on the company's third-generation InSpire architecture, featuring the 3PAR Gen3 ASIC with integrated fat-to-thin processing.

The new T-Class arrays integrate silicone-based thin technologies into system hardware. The new design is intended, according to the company, to maximize capacity utilization through the fat-to-thin conversion process, "removing allocated but unused space from traditional volumes." The new architecture provides increased system performance by allowing the conversion process to take place in the hardware's silicon, freeing up the controller CPU and memory to run other system and application tasks.

According to 3PAR, compared with the previous generation of InServ arrays, the T800 has double the performance capacity, making it the fastest single-system storage array, according to published results based on the Storage Performance Council Benchmark 1 (SPC-1).

Other features of the T-Class arrays include a high-bandwidth, low-latency backplane, unifying system resources and providing better load-balancing; the ability to support a mixed-workload on the same resources; and support for 3PAR's Fast RAID 5.

The new 3PAR T-Class arrays are available now. The company said it plans to make fat-to-thin conversions (not currently supported through software) possible on the arrays with next release of their InForm Operating System.

About the Author

Chris Riedel is a freelance writer based in Illinois. He can be reached here.

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