StoneFly, a supplier of integrated IP storage area network (SAN) systems, has unveiled a new multi-level approach to data protection for IP SANs RAIDML, which it claims to go beyond conventional no single point of failure (NSPOF) configurations to provide data protection for files and applications.
The company said that RAIDML, available as an integrated part of its Voyager HA IP SAN, offers the ability to create NSPOF volumes and RAID 5 or 6 protected volumes, all in a single storage unit or aggregated across multiple storage units. The creation is expected to allow administrators to achieve multi-level data protection without increasing costs and without the need for doubling drives to meet NSPOF requirements.
According to StoneFly, the RAIDML is implemented in its active-active controller architecture to protect both NSPOF and traditional RAID sets with auto fail-over and fail-back capabilities. RAIDML is supported by the the company’s StoneFusion operating system, which equips its IP SANs with a storage virtualisation engine; and StoneFly Reflection for local and campus mirroring.
In addition, it also equips StoneFly Snapshot for data recovery; and advanced features such as Quick Sync to further enhance data protection, which allows customers to restore RAIDML or mirrored iSCSI volumes in the event of a storage path or site failure.
BJ Jalali, director of product management for StoneFly, said: Today’s storage devices have gone a long way toward protecting data through the use of different RAID levels. However, to date, all conventional NSPOF configurations require 100% duplication of actual disk storage, leaving the customer with little choice but to spend more while adding complexity to the data centre. StoneFly is very pleased to offer RAIDML as an economical and effective alternative.
