How to reach best datatransfer performance

[ak_]

hi volks,

i got a task to size a new server. it seems not to be very complicated, but one of the setted aims contents reguirement for maximal datatransferperformance to 200GB harddrive-storage.

My idea was to involve this storage in a extern shelf (14 bay) and connect this thru scsi to target server. Also i planed to configure a RAID 1+0 over 12 36GB HDDs.

Has anyone better suggestions? which controller(s) shell i use for best performance? how are your experineces with scsi over fiber: makes fiber scsi bus faster?

Thanks

[Vincent Farrugia]

Hello,

Best thing you can do is to buy a VA7100 and configure it in RAID0+1. VA7100 is fibre-channel, which is fast and reliable. RAID0+1 stripes (which is the best for performance) and also mirrors (which is good for redundancy purposes).

HTH,
Vince

[Leif Halvarsson_2]

Hi

If you don't need to buy a HP array, have a look at the IBM (Mylex) Profibre DF4000R. It is perhaps one of the fastest RAID controllers on the market, support 120 disks and is not very expensive.

http://www.kintronics.com/raid/IBMDF4000R.html

[ak_]

sorry volks,

i forgot to tell, that my enviroment includes compaq proliants and other only compaq hardware components. we will stay by the compaq recognized hardware and it is still a difference between compaq und thenewhp, or?

Thanks a lot

[Vincent Fleming]

I would suggest a VA7100 as well - for 2 main reasons:

The VA7100 has 1GB of cache memory on each controller. The cache helps a lot in performance, and 1GB per controller is quite a bit of cache.

Second, the VA7100 has 2 Fibre ports, which you can use for load-balancing. Use AutoPath software (from HP) to use both paths at the same time.

Most other disk vendors do not have this software for HP-UX.

Also, the VA7100 is inexpensive compared to most of the competition.

Good luck!

[Vincent Farrugia]

Hello,

If you want to remain in the Compaq tune, you can buy the VA7100 equivalent of Compaq, the RA3000.

http://www.compaq.com/products/storageworks/RA3000/description.html#qs

HTH,
Vince

[Peter Mattei]

Hello all

You can not directly compare the RA3000 with the VA7100.
The VA7100 like the VA7410 and the EVA is a virtual array, meaning you do not have to care about where your data lies.
On a traditional array like the RA3000 you have to define disk groups that are static.
On a virtual array you can grow the disk group(s) by adding disks. The LUNs will automatically be re-striped over all (old and new) disks thus increasing performance. Additionaly new LUNs will also be allocated striped over all disks.
For more in depth info look at this White Paper http://www.hp.com/products1/storage/products/disk_arrays/infolibrary/hp_va_and_san_virtualization.pdf
More papers are available on: http://www.hp.com/products1/storage/products/disk_arrays/midrange/va7100/infolibrary/index.html
A very good description can also be found in the User Manual http://www.hp.com/cposupport/manual_set/lpg28817.pdf
Peter