Dell today launched the PowerVault MD1000, an entry-level direct-attached
storage (DAS) machine that uses 3.5-inch serial attached SCSI (SAS) drives
for a performance boost.
Currently, storage appliances comparable to the MD1000 use 2.5-inch SAS
Though adequate for many types of storage, vendors have been considering a
switch to the more powerful 3.5-inch drives, which allow them to manage
applications that require a lot of bandwidth.
Dell has made the switch in the MD1000, whose SAS drives can help customers
get four times greater bandwidth with 3.5-inch SAS drives versus traditional
SCSI
Enterprise Storage.
“This allows the customer to support more critical applications,” Endebrock
said. “He’s managing data growth that’s out of control just like the larger
customer.”
If quadruple bandwidth isn’t enough to satisfy customers’ data moving needs,
Endebrock said the 3.5-inch SAS drive in the MD1000 offers double
the storage capacity and a 30 percent increase in data throughput.
Other key characteristics of the MD1000 include a capacity of 4.5 terabytes
drives.
The machine works with Dell PowerEdge 1850, 2850, 6800 and 6850 servers, as
well as Dell PowerVault tape autoloaders 124T, 132T 136T and the PowerVault
ML6000 library.
The array also supports the following software: Legato, OpenManage Server
Administrator, Microsoft SQL Server 2005, Microsoft Exchange, Symantec
Backup Exec, CommVault Galaxy and Galaxy Express.
Starting at $4,200, the PowerVault MD1000 is available now.
The MD1000 comes as Dell is gaining a lot of share in the storage market,
particularly at the low end, from competitors like HP and IBM.
According to IDC’s storage report for the fourth quarter, Dell continued
its torrid ascendance up the storage ladder, posting a 64.6 percent
year-over-year growth.
