The Benefits of Dell EqualLogic SAN Storage

The Dell EqualLogic line of iSCSI storage area networks (SAN storage) arrays gives businesses the ability to do more with less.

These arrays are one of the best in their class for flexible, high-capacity storage for demand processes and are a perfect fit for small to mid-sized businesses. With Dell EqualLogic, SMBs can now manage more data with fewer dedicated resources, while seamlessly integrating with all operating systems and applications.

So, what can Dell EqualLogic SAN storage arrays do for your business?

With these top-of-the-line arrays, you’ll have the speed and capacity you need to power everything from complex workloads to everyday business activities. The next generation Dell EqualLogic Storage PS Series streamlines storage management, while improving and simplifying performance.

An excellent long-term investment, these arrays will greatly enhance the overall value of your data centers. According to Dell, most customers have reported achieving up to a 513% ROI in an average of just over six months.

The Dell EqualLogic family of SAN arrays offers automatic load balancing to migrate data, shifting it evenly across all available storage platforms. The result is greater system performance overall. Data pooling, another valuable feature, ensures that data can be accessed more quickly and efficiently.

Flash-enabled EqualLogic PS6210 arrays are much more powerful than the prior generation, providing up to three times the random performance. These arrays can handle up to 2GB per second of throughput per array for sequential, large-block workloads and can be tailored to fit the unique — and growing — needs of your business.

The PS6210 Series features dual controllers, each with 16GB non-volatile memory, as well as two auto-sensing ports, two ports for fiber or copper cabling and up to 24 hot pluggable drives (including SAS, NL-SAS and SSD). Models are available in 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch drives, and each array includes up to 144TB capacity.

The PS6210 Series supports block and file data through a single intuitive interface and supports server and desktop virtualization. The PS6210 Series is also able to deploy in virtualized VMware environments, as well as Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server applications and distributed DAS implementations.

Depending on the model, Dell EqualLogic arrays contain hard disk drives or a mix of HDDs and solid-state drives. There is also a hybrid option that supports both HDD and SSD in the same configuration.

All use 1GB Ethernet or 10GBE connections, and all models feature all-inclusive software functionality and no-forklift upgrades.

SAN Storage that Grows with Your Business

The EqualLogic PS6210 Series of arrays includes the PS6210S, PS6210XS, PS6210E, PS6210X and PS6210XV.

The PS Series offers multi-generational compatibility, protecting your long-term investment, and you can mix and match arrays in groups to build tiered storage. It’s easy to build out and customize your storage system to grow with your business by combining PS6210 arrays with the EqualLogic arrays you already have onsite.

Small and mid-sized businesses can easily add memory and controllers on top of existing capacity, combining arrays with other PS Series arrays in groups of as many as 16 for a potential capacity of 384 drives and more than 1.5PB.

The rollout and retirement of arrays is seamless, so you can quickly and painlessly grow and add storage capability without interrupting your daily operations.

Dell Storage PS Series Array Advanced Software makes it easy to manage everyday tasks and also helps you store, protect, virtualize and optimize your data. This includes the ability to cooperate with host operating systems, hypervisors and applications. Host integration tools for Microsoft, VMware and Linux products are available, and management software provides an interface for monitoring all your integrated groups of arrays from one place.

Software can also be updated on older systems to enable them to seamlessly work together with newer EqualLogic generations and models. Simply put, you can upgrade and add new generations of EqualLogic arrays without having to replace what you already have.

Which EqualLogic Is Right for Me?

There are many EqualLogic models and options to choose from. Within each series, there are multiple submodels with varying disk configurations. Work with your IT solutions company to decide which series is right for your company.