Active Storage Inner Pool. Metadata LUN PCI Card

abstractrude · Xsan Master Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 863

I saw this at NAB yesterday. http://twitpic.com/1f5d07/full
They are moving the metadata lun to the pci express bus. Makes sense but there are many questions. Any thoughts?

matx · Xsan Master Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 378

Sounds awesome, but it would be a radical departure from normal deployments. I'd love to see it in action, test it a lot first.

channel_cto · JBOD Joined: 14 Apr 2010 Posts: 1

As I understand it the Innerpool is predominantly drawing power from the bus, and possibly some configuration connectivity. The metadata still resides in the SAN, but on a small SSD volume that is redundant via mirroring of the drives and has DR via 2 Innerpool cards replicating the metadata between them.

They connect to the SAN via one FC port and then have a second (FC) port to interconnect for DR. Onboard hardware RAID controller for the mirroring of the SSD and interconnect.

Shipping in about 1 month. Smile

abstractrude · Xsan Master Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 863

they are moving the metadata lun off the fibre chassis. the main advantage of this is you dont need to take up drives for metadata. for small installations this is great because your fibre chassis can be used for data only. this card still connects to the fibre switch with a lun being exported. the only thing im confused on here is if it hosts multiple metadata luns. if you have more than one volume. its something i forgot to ask while i was there.

Moe · Xsan Master Joined: 04 May 2006 Posts: 61

Moe · Xsan Master Joined: 04 May 2006 Posts: 61

messenger82 · Xsan Master Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 113

I'm sold on the idea but how much will it cost?

ogminlo · Xsan Master Joined: 29 May 2008 Posts: 149

Based on what I was told at NAB, the price will be about $2500. The primary I/O is the PCI-e bus and the FC ports are there for failover (the card carries a battery to run itself for a few hours if the host is offline). The SSDs they showed at NAB were branded Intel. Active said they have qualified it with Quantum for use in StorNext deployments and qualification for Xsan is pending (of course).

jordanwwoods · Xsan Master Joined: 24 Apr 2007 Posts: 85

Let me help you guys out with some of these questions. Here is a preliminary FAQ sheet:

What is Innerpool?
Innerpool is a self contained metadata storage appliance used for Xsan networks to reduce the overhead on primary RAID systems, and free up wasted capacity.

What is Innerpool compatible with?
Innerpool is designed to work in all Xsan Networks from version 1.4 and up.

Is Innerpool metadata safe? Is it as well protected as my current RAID?
The design of Innerpool is non-compromising. In some respects the design is superior to most external RAID systems by offering a double mirror configuration, but in every other way, as resilient as the best quality external systems with redundant drives, cooling, and power.

I have 2 MDCs in my Xsan for failover, if Innerpool is in one and the MDC fails, what happens, does the SAN stop?
Most Xsan installations even the smallest ones will use two MDCs. In the case of small SANs, the secondary MDC will likely be a workstation whose primary function is not being a fulltime MDC.
In any case, Innerpool has you covered. Innerpool is actually a match set of metadata storage appliances. One Innerpool card resides in the primary MDC and the other in the secondary MDC. If for any reason an MDC fails over or a card fails, the failover of the Innerpool is swift and automatic, not affecting the overall operation of the SAN. The metadata is redundant and protected.

I use MacPro computers as MDCs in my Xsan, will Innerpool work with them?
Innerpool works equally as well with Xserve and MacPro systems. MacPro systems require a support brace that is available from Active at no cost, but must be specified.

As I understand it, Innerpool is a PCIe Card, what happens if the MDC crashes? Will it hang the Innerpool?
Innerpool is a PCIe Card, but unlike traditional PCIe Cards, it only draws power and uses the Server (MDCs) ethernet for communication. If the MDC crashes but power and cooling remain, the Innerpool will remain up and perform a systematic failover. The SAN users will not see any interruption in service.

I am in a multi-SAN environment; can Innerpool support multiple metadata pools on the same Innerpool cards?
Currently Innerpool systems can support a single metadata/journaling volume. We have plans to support multiple metadata pools in the near future through a seamless firmware update.

I understand Innerpool is available with Solid State Disks, why would I want them? I hear they are expensive, How much do they cost?
Innerpool will initially be available with high performance 7200RPM 2.5” Hard disk drives. These systems offer high capacity, great performance and excellent fault tolerance and resistance to vibration. HDD based systems can support over one hundred users in nearly all configurations.
Solid State Storage will be offered shortly after introduction, and is aimed toward the user requiring the highest level of throughput in extreme SAN situations where a very large number of users are working on a large number of smaller video stream, or a large number of Re-shares are being used.
Solid State storage is for user who wants the best. The Solid State Storage solution is costly, and although pricing has not been established at this time, there will be a significant premium.

handygeek · Knows DNS is the answer Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 37

Still see no pricing info. Any word - at least a ballpark?

Doh, now I see it: $2499. I wonder if that's for the pair or per card.

jordanwwoods · Xsan Master Joined: 24 Apr 2007 Posts: 85

Currently that is for a pair of 2.5" spinning disks. We have not set pricing for the SSDs yet.

-Jordan

jfw · fully protected Joined: 07 Mar 2010 Posts: 10

And the cards are sold in pairs - one for the primary metadata controller, one for the failover MDC - so the price is twice is good than you may have thought!

sf809 · Been around the blocks Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 27

Do I understand correctly?
In one Slot still sit the FC-Card and on the 2nd. I have to place the Innerpool Card. Connect both to the FC-Switch, have the possibility to zone the LUN only to the MDCs.
That`s it?

jordanwwoods · Xsan Master Joined: 24 Apr 2007 Posts: 85

yep, pretty much. Each MDC will have an FC card and an Innerpool. Each FC card is just as it was before; one FC connection on each Innerpool goes to the switch and the other connection links the two cards together.

-Jordan

ogminlo · Xsan Master Joined: 29 May 2008 Posts: 149

As I noted previously on this thread, I was told by one of the guys at the Active booth at NAB that the primary I/O for the card on its host MDC was the PCI-e bus. That does not seem to be the case in what I have since read here. Can you shed some light?