PS6010 and PS6510 Series Arrays

After what seems like a long wait, Dell EqualLogic finally released the 10Gb controllers for the PS Series arrays. The new PS6010 and PS6510 arrays offer two ten gig ports per controller, allowing you to have 20Gb/s of bandwidth to each EqualLogic array. In multiple array setups, you’re able to scale that linearly, just like with the 1Gb ports on the PS4000 and PS6000 series. For example, if you have a volume spanning across two EqualLogic members in a group, you’re able to make use of up to 40Gb/s with the new 10Gb controllers. 

Faster Than Fibre Channel

Several people have asked me when Fibre Channel is a better solution than iSCSI, and until the release of the new 10Gb controllers, there was a good answer: when you require more bandwidth than a comparable iSCSI solution can provide. That time is no longer – iSCSI now surpasses Fibre Channel on a single port, not to mention the ability to multipath over two or more! 

The Reality of Storage Bandwidth

Even though I acknowledge that prior to EqualLogic’s 10Gb controllers, Fibre Channel had faster bandwidth, I’d like to clarify something. I have done several analysis of different client (and potential client) sites, and have yet to see a situation where iSCSI on a 1Gb network doesn’t provide more than adequate speed. Thinking back on it, most of the analysis I’ve done show less than 5% of 1Gb/s being used! 

The Takeaway

If you need shared storage, and need faster than the 4Gb/s that multipathing that a single PS6000 array allows for, look no further than a PS6010 array. If you aren’t sure of what your requirements are, please take this moment to get in touch with me to help. If you don’t know your requirements before getting quotes and solutions from vendors, you risk spending too much and/or having poor performance with your new SAN.

Get in touch with me by commenting below, using the contact us page on the site, or get me on twitter (@bradfair). You can also give me a call at 405-624-3214. I love to talk storage!