The document discusses and compares several data storage solutions used by SLC, including Dell EqualLogic storage arrays, Dell Compellent storage arrays, and SyncSort NSB backup software with NetApp storage. The Dell EqualLogic arrays were used to establish a VMware vSphere 5 test and development environment, allowing migration of virtual machines and freeing up production storage space. The Dell Compellent arrays were chosen over Hitachi and NetApp options due to lower total cost of ownership and benefits like automated tiered storage, data replication, and expandability. SyncSort NSB backup software improved on the previous backup solution by reducing full backup time from 80 hours to under 8 hours.

1. Data Centre Storage Review
Dell EqualLogic Storage Array
Dell Compellent Storage Array
SyncSort NSB Backup (NetApp Storage)

2. Dell EqualLogic
VMware vSphere 5 Test & Dev. Environment
Time line and Configuration
• Late 2010 Dell presented an opportunity to
evaluate a recent storage acquisition EqualLogic.
• Early 2011 Dell installed a pair of Dell 6000 series
storage arrays and two Dell PowerConnect
switches for iSCSI traffic.
• We provided two Dell R710 Servers with vSphere
5 licenses to establish a test and development
environment.

3. Dell EqualLogic – Cont’d
VMware vSphere 5 Test & Dev. Environment
Experience
• The current system has allowed IS&T to relocate
39 Virtual machines from our production systems.
• There are still approximately 20 additional servers
that still need to be migrated to this environment.
• This provided SLC the ability to ease the capacity
of the virtual environment in addition to having
freed 19TB of production SAN space.
• Application Developers and the test users have not
seen any difference in performance.

4. Dell EqualLogic – Cont’d
VMware vSphere 5 Test & Dev. Environment
Storage Features
• Data Center Bridging*, Auto-Replication (Multi-Site), Instant Volume Restore, Multi-
Volume
• Writeable Snapshots, Snapshot and Auto-Replication Scheduler, Volume Cloning, Thin
• Clones, Volume Consistency Sets
• Manual Transfer Utility offers File compression, Data Encryption, Password protection,
• Transfer status updates, Replication and Failback, Transfer continuation after interrupt.
• Enhanced Load Balancing*, VMware® Thin Provisioning awareness for vSphere™ v4.1
to
• complement the existing Thin Provisioning*, Non-disruptive array addition and removal,
• Automatic or Manual Storage Tiering, Complete SAN Virtualization, Online Data and
Volume
• Movement, Storage Pools, Thin Provisioning, SAN Data Copy Off-load, SAN Zero Off-
load and
• Scalable Lock Management for VMware
• Microsoft® Active Directory Integration*, Auditing of Administrative actions*, Roles-
Based Administration, Volume Management, Dell EqualLogic Group Manager CLI or
GUI
• Auto-Stat Disk Monitoring System, E-mail Home, Enclosure Monitoring System,
Detailed Historical Performance Monitoring

5. Assessment and future use
The platform has proved to be very efficient and
reliable. As a result SLC has deployed the 4000
series of storage arrays for a small DR site for a few
critical business applications. During testing the
users were please with the performance of the DR
environment.
This would be a very cost effective option for the
small locations and is comparable with like NetApp
storage arrays.
Dell EqualLogic – Cont’d
VMware vSphere 5 Test & Dev. Environment

6. Questions

7. Dell Compellent – Cont’d
March 2010, SLC Data Center and Server team experienced a
change in leadership. During this time I began managing requests
for storage and a budget. November 2010 SLC purchased 12TB
of Hitachi Storage for 132K USD.
December 2010 HDS support notified me the pending expiration
of our support contracts which were 286K USD. I began
discussions with HDS on replacing the SAN. Those quotes came
back at 890K USD for a 124TB system that was no bigger than
what I currently owned.
Q1 2011 Dell presented their Server and Storage solutions
including their recent Acquisition of Compellent Storage systems.
Shortly their after Andrew Crocker commissioned the Advance
Data Center Strategy review.
History

8. Dell Compellent – Cont’d
• Began evaluations of storage vendors Hitachi,
NetApp and Dell.
• Criteria considered, Performance, Tiered
Storage, Thin Provisioning, Data Replication,
Snapshots, Expandability, Support, Energy
Efficiencies and Total Cost of Ownership.
• Each vendor had their areas where they
shined.
Enterprise Storage

9. Dell Compellent – Cont’d
Why Dell over others…
Dell was chosen for a number of factors…
1. Total Cost of Ownership
2. Automated Tiered Storage
3. Data Replication to other Compellent
4. Expandability / Zero Down Time
5. Licensing
6. Performance
7. Energy Efficiencies
8. Reporting
9. Support Hardware and Software
10. Integration with VMware
11. Price 785K USD for 268TB of useable storage

10. Dell Compellent – Cont’d
Savings – Storage purchases
Below is a comparison between the HDS storage costs versus the
Dell Compellent. This represents the purchase of 12TB of usable
storage. The HDS solution requires a number software tools and
licenses to either be purchased or upgraded before the storage is
usable. The Compellent needs no additional licenses or software
tools.
12 TB of Storage
Current Cost Savings Cost Proposed
HDS $ 132,000.00 $ 114,000.00 $ 18,000.00 DELL
As you can see from the table above the proposed solution is
far more cost efficient purchase. These savings in conjunction
with the support tools of the SAN will keep the cost of storage
lower due to the intelligence around how data is stored.

11. Dell Compellent – Cont’d
Savings – Storage purchases
• Tier 1 storage now costs $5,000 per TB compared to $22,000 for the legacy
HDS System
• Tier 3 storage now costs $2,000 per TB compared to $12,000 for the legacy
HDS System.
19.78
16%
103.05TB
84%
Tier 1 Storage
Tier 3 Storage
SLC Data Center Managed Storage – Dell Compellent
August 2012

12. Dell Compellent – Cont’d
Savings – Operating Costs
The biggest surprise in our choice of the Compellent storage array
was the cost reduction in power at the SLC Data Center.
After the last HDS Storage array was migrated over to the
Compellent and powered off a power audit was commissioned.
To our surprise we dropped our over all spend on power in the data
center by 12K USD per month.

13. Questions

14. SyncSort NSB
History
• The previous backup solution was taking
80 hours to perform a full backup.
• This was impacting the user experience
and delaying our incremental backups.
• Strictly a data recovery tool, only when
tape resources were available.
• Emergency restores placed ERP Data at
Risk of recovery

15. SyncSort NSB
Benefits
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16. Questions