Block Storage over an IP Fabric

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Hammer Storage (a division of Bell Microproducts) this week
introduced their Z-series line of storage gear for SMBs or
corporate workgroups. The disk enclosures plug into the
network and provide block-level storage to Windows or
(later this year) Red Hat Linux machines. Sounds kind of like
a small SAN, you say? Sure; except that the Hammer products
utilize your existing IP networks as the fabric: Both the
clients and the disk arrays plug right into a standard IP
switch for connectivity. Windows machines access virtual
volumes exposed by the arrays as if they were local disks
attached to the machine.

Based on Zetera’s Z-SAN technology, the Z-series arrays
each pack up to 2 TB of raw capacity and are expected to initially
ship in desktop and rackmount flavors. When you need more, just
plug more into the switch; multiple appliances can be plugged
into your network for scalability and virtual volumes can grow
to 128 PB in size–provided the operating system itself allows
for such a large file structure. Each appliance boasts a
throughput rate of 80 MB/sec and the vendor says your total
aggregate bandwidth in multi-device deployments is limited only
by what your switch and network can handle.

Other new or updated entries in this week’s collection of highlighted
Enterprise IT Planet Product Guide
briefings include new dual 10Gb NICs from startup NetXen; a 6GB
USB drive that you can stuff in your shirt pocket from Western Digital;
and a Wi-Fi-based location-aware platform from Newbury Networks
that’ll let you create apps that know where all your gear is–in
real-time.

Jump to:

Security: Kerio WinRoute Firewall
Eli
Networking:: Intelligent NIC
Newbury Presence Platform
Point System
Field Force Manager
Storage: Z-Box / Z-Rack
WD Passport

Featured Security Products:

Kerio WinRoute Firewall
Kerio Technologies Inc.
Provides gateway security (antivirus, firewall, content filtering) and SSL VPN connectivity for small to medium sized corporate networks. New release features basic bandwidth management and dual A/V scan engine option.

Eli
TrustELI, Inc.
All-in-one gateway security device targeted to home, and now small business. Combines anti-virus, URL blocking, firewall, and now VPN capabilities.

Featured Networking Products:

Intelligent NIC
NetXen, Inc.
Line of 10GbE Layer 2 NICs targeted to OEMs. Features protocol offload (TCP/IP, iSCSI, RDMA) and support for both software and firmware upgrade.

Newbury Presence Platform
Newbury Networks, Inc.
Platform allows OEMs to create location-based applications that can be deployed over Wi-Fi infrastructure. The vendor’s Active Asset application is based on the platform and provides asset tracking and alerting features.

Point System
Transition Networks, Inc.
Managed, modular chassis accepts combinations of media conversion cards, converting multiple connections (Ethernet, ATM, T1/E1, Serial, etc.) to Fiber. 802.3AH-supported 10/100TX to 100FX converters coming soon.

Field Force Manager
Verizon Wireless.
Web-based application provides basic location tracking and management capabilities for mobile-phone equipped field workers. Includes electronic timecard reporting, dispatch, mapping, more.

Featured Storage Products:

Z-Box / Z-Rack
Bell Microproducts Inc.
Desktop and rackmount enclosures provide block-based storage over standard IP networks via Zetera’s Z-SAN technology. Each unit scales to 2 TB raw; total system capacity up to 128 PB/volume.

WD Passport
Western Digital Corp.
Portable and external USB drives with capacities of up to 120 GB. New format fits into a shirt pocket and packs up to 6 GB of data.

This article was first published on EnterpriseITPlanet.com.