StorGate^TM Storage Gateway

for VOS Continuum to IBM ESS ("Shark") Connectivity

SCSI Model

Product Brief

The DRA Storgate^TM Storage Gateway is a drop-in solution which provides VOS Continuum hosts with seamless access to VOS data on IBM ESS ("Shark") storage arrays.

StorGate meets all requirements for a certified host. By using StorGate, Stratus VOS Continuum users can store and retrieve VOS data on their existing storage arrays while maintaining full support for their equipment.

• Provides drop-in fully supported VOS-to-IBM ESS connectivity

• Connects directly to IBM ESS via Fibre Channel

• Connects directly to VOS Continuum via K450/K460 SCSI ports

• Allows VOS to see IBM ESS storage as common VOS disk types (D706, D711, D712)

• Emulates VOS disks and disk trays - up to 12 virtual VOS disks per StorGate/RAID unit

• Accesses up to 3.2 TB logical (6.4 TB physical) on an IBM ESS RAID from a single VOS host (using multiple StorGate units, K450s/K460s and IBM ESS host ports)

• Stores VOS data directly in VOS file format (Note: VOS does not support data sharing between hosts)

• Can be duplexed to standard Stratus VOS disks or can be used in pairs for duplexing

• Meets or exceeds native VOS disk performance in most applications

StorGate provides a connection between a VOS Continuum BIO (K450/K460) port and IBM ESS host adapter port. StorGate "on-the-fly" disk emulation and data translation capabilities allow VOS Continuum users to store and retrieve data on an ESS just as if the data were stored on standard Stratus disks.

Each StorGate unit provides access to up to 12 virtual VOS disk volumes on the ESS. Each of these virtual disks may be a VOS D706, D711, or a D712 disk type. This means that each StorGate unit allows a VOS Continuum to access up to 408 GB (physical) on an ESS storage array. Multiple StorGate units may be attached to multiple BIO ports on a single VOS Continuum host to provide access to as much ESS storage capacity as desired, up to the maximum allowed by VOS (3.2 TB logical, 6.4 TB physical). Multiple StorGate units may also be used to allow multiple VOS Continuum hosts to access one or more ESS storage arrays. (Although StorGate allows multiple VOS hosts to store data on a single ESS, VOS limitations prevent sharing that data between hosts.)

StorGate supports all VOS disk-related commands and functions. It uses standard RAID volumes to store VOS data on an IBM ESS storage array. This allows the Target to manage VOS virtual disks as standard RAID storage volumes. Both mirrored and Raid-S volume types are supported.

A VOS Continuum host connects to StorGate through a Continuum BIO (K450/K460) SCSI port. An ESS connects to StorGate through a Fibre Channel port on a Target Fibre Channel host adapter. (Refer to the StorGate Technical Specifications for connection details.)

Laboratory tests indicate that for many applications StorGate provides throughput which equals or exceeds that of equivalent Stratus disks. In these laboratory tests the best performance was achieved when the virtual disks on the Target were configured as Target-specific mirrored volumes. Performance in other environments may vary, and depends upon a variety of factors. These factors include application data access patterns, overall Target storage array configuration, and I/O activity by other hosts attached to the Target storage array.

DRA products purchased through Stratus are supported jointly by DRA and Stratus. DRA products purchased directly from DRA are supported through the Co-active Maintenance Service (CMS). CMS is a total support agreement which is available "around the clock, around the world" to participating DRA customers. Product maintenance, product updates, documentation and training are available through CMS support. CMS is provided free of charge for 90 days following product installation, and may be extended by contract thereafter.

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Copyright © 2008 Data Research & Applications, Inc.
Last modified: November 17, 2008