ANTenna Blog -- Storage

Storage systems have become a vital component supporting many small and medium businesses’ mission critical applications. To help ensure application availability, vendors have begun delivering Fortune 500 redundancy capabilities at reasonable prices.

Less downtime was the theme in Hewlett-Packard’s latest storage system announcement. The company’s 2000 Modular Smart Array (MSA2000) improves application availability via features, such as dual power supplies, optional dual controllers and redundant hardware with automatic failover capabilities. In addition, the MSA2000 includes optional management software that support “snap and clone” capabilities, which enable small and medium businesses to more easily deploy backup and recovery functions.

The MSA2000 disk arrays work with up to 36 terabytes of storage capacity and support either 4-Gb Fibre Channel (MSA2000fc) or 1-Gb iSCSI (MSA2000i) host connectivity. The arrays can be configured with up to 48 SAS or SATA disk drives. The new devices also include a green component: because they feature persistent cache, users do not have to buy battery backup systems, thus reducing the potential disposal of hazardous material. Pricing for the MSA 2000 line starts at $4,999 with general availability expected in March.

With the volume of data generated rising dramatically, storage systems have become key elements in small and medium business data centers. HP has been a leader in this space, which has recently attracted formidable competitors, such as Dell. The new HP products were built to underscore the company’s commitment to the small and medium business market. In the coming months, it will become clear if they are noteworthy enough so the company can maintain its market position.

Do you now have HP storage solutions now? How would you characterize your experiences? What storage features interest you most?