Analysis

posted on 06 June 2008 09:26

The rash of flash flooding across Sun's server and server/storage hybrid product lines has resulted in a revamped product roadmap.

Forthcoming Sun products include:-

- A new InfiniBand switch which succeeds the existing Magnum 3,456-port switch and will double the per-port throughput to 40Gbit/s because servers processing more data through flash solid state drive (SSD) use will need faster I/O. It should be available later this year.

- Revamped X4000-series servers with SSDs installed.

- New hybrid blade server/storage products building on the Thumper (X4500) and HoneyComb (StorageTek 5800) server/storage products.

- Low-cost storage arrays with the ZFS filesystem on board that will connect to traditional servers, meaning non-Sun servers. The idea is that these obviate the need for RAID controllers because ZFS takes care of such data protection matters itself.

All these products should be available before the end of 2008 and Sun is positioning the product release surge as a product of the organisational importation of the StorageTek storage group into John Fowler's Systems group.

There is a question mark now hanging over traditional Sun storage arrays, network-attached storage (NAS) and tape products. Are these all going to receive a flash and ZFS infusion? Does Sun see itself long-term as a provider of block storage arrays into the storage area network (SAN) market? Will the flash flood wash over the tape automation products?

It looks as if Sun is single-handedly trying to reinvent the server-storage array technology area, with open source software stacks, servers packed with SSD storage (X4000 line), bladed and non-bladed server/storage hybrids, and highly-intelligent drive arrays with embedded servers running ZFS.

The Sun pitch is that this produces much more powerful servers and much cheaper storage arrays that obviate the need for proprietary storage and servers with expensive systems software.

^{[Chris Mellor.]}