Auspex Systems, Inc. expanded its NS3000 family of Network Attached Storage (NAS) servers with the release of a new fibre-based model called the NS3000XR.
According to Auspex, the XR model adds new features to provide additional fault tolerance by offering two independent data paths to every disk array through redundant RAID controllers and dual fibre-channel host bus adapters. The company said if one path is blocked, the system automatically redirects a service request to the open path.
In terms of redundancy, Auspex said a second XR server can be deployed at any time and connected to the first with Auspex’s ServerGuardV software, scheduled for release later this month.
“Enterprises today are looking for data storage and delivery solutions with a variety of high availability options to meet their current needs as well as their future ones,” said Phil Goodwin, Program Director, Server Infrastructure Strategies, META Group. “Vendors who offer a migration path that makes it possible to move from a moderate level of fault tolerance to complete system redundancy with the same basic equipment give customers maximum flexibility in adapting to the changing needs of their organizations.”
The NS3000XR also includes a dual redundant power for all components, support for any combination of RAID 0, 1 and 5 with hot spares, online RAID array expansion, and virtual partitioning capabilities. With the addition of a third fibre-channel host bus adapter, the NS3000XR also has the ability to perform fibre-based LAN-free tape backup.