The DataDirect Networks product line is based on its Silcon Storage Architecture--or S2A--and the appliances that encompass it. The S2A series storage systems include controllers and disk arrays/enclosures that combine to provide data systems that are specifically tuned for the storage and access of large data files.

At the heart of the S2A systems is the vendor's DirectOS operating system, which provides the core system and data management functions for the appliances as well as drives multiple performance-enhancing technologies including DirectRAID, a hardware-accelerated RAID engine (with support for RAID 6) that utilizes parallel processing techniques that the vendor states results in the ability to perform data reads at the same speed as data writes; SATAssure Plus, which validates data integrity on all read operations and repairs data on the fly as well as provides the ability to transparently power-cycle individual drives in an attempt to reset them when errors occur; Sleep Mode, which enables the arrays to spin down drives (but not completely shut them down) when they are inactive; and an internal architecture in which the full storage pool is available and accessible from any host port in the system. Virtualization features also allow the storage pool to be divided with separate access control settings, if needed.

Currently available S2A platforms include (note that not all features described above may be available in all gear; contact the vendor for further information):

- S2A6220: Targeted to the midrange, the S2A6220 is served as a 4U controller module with 60 drive slots and support for the vendor's 4U StorageScaler 6000 enclosures (also with 60 drives each). Up to 4 active/active FC4/FC8 host ports are listed as possible; with overall performance listed as up to 2.0 GB/sec. Both SAS and SATA drives can be intermixed in the enclosures.

- S2A9550: Available as "Capacity Optimized Storage" (loaded with 7,200 RPM SATA disks) or "Performance Optimized Storage" (loaded with 10k or 15k RPM FC disks), the S2A9550 boasts read/write performance of up to 3 GB/sec and supports up to 8 host ports, which can be FC or InfiniBand. From 5 to 70 total disk chassis (16 bay FC, 48 bay SATA) can be supported in a fully loaded system. (While both configurations can reach speeds of up to 3 GB/sec, the Peformance Optimized Storage--I.E., the FC-based system--can do so with less overall drives than the SATA-based system.)

- S2A9700/9900: The high end systems include the S2A9700 and S2A9900 systems, which are served as controller couplets that drive the StorageScaler 6000 disk enclosures described above (also supporting SAS/SATA intermix) and offer read/write performance metrics of 3 GB/sec and 6 GB/sec respectively (the S2A9700 can be upgraded to the S2A9900). FC4, FC8, and InfiniBand 4X ports are all supported (up to 8), with a couplet (controller pair) occupying 4U.

New in the S2A product line is support for the vendor's D-MAID technology, which provides the ability to spin down LUNs and enter power-saving mode based on user-specified parameters. Disks spin-down settings can be applied per disk-tier, such that all the disks in each tier are spun up or spun down together based on the settings.

Visit the DataDirect Networks Web site for further information.