Recently, storage vendors have been working more closely with operating system vendors in an attempt to integrate applications with storage. Creating these connections makes administrators’ jobs much easier and ultimately improves users’ experience. With the release of its Smart Copy software feature, EqualLogic expands its PS Series of storage arrays to better integrate with Windows applications, including Exchange Server and SQL Server.
EqualLogic’s iSCSI SAN takes all the applications that are loaded on a server and virtualizes the storage behind those applications as a single storage pool. Volumes of data are divided into pages, and EqualLogic’s page-based routing architecture transparently moves pages between physical storage arrays, behind the applications. Load balancing occurs automatically, unlike with other storage products, which require customer intervention. According to John Joseph, VP of marketing, EqualLogic’s scaling model is unique because each storage engine (i.e., array) that you add to your network functions as a completely intact SAN.
The company’s all-inclusive packaging gives customers features that they might not currently need but that they can turn on in the future if they want to extend their storage or deploy a new project. In addition, users can turn features off without vendor intervention. Thus, customers can experiment with storage configurations to determine the best configuration for their environment.
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