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HP ProLiant DL380
http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;11730475;10471259;a?http://www.hp.com/sbso/special/nas2000s.html?jumpid=ex_r295_link/4Q04NASBA37/kimISS_mcc|AUNK
==========
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1. Commentary
- SAS Protocol Rounds the Final Bendv
2. Resource
- Memory Leak in Storage Server 2003's Virtual Disk Service
3. New and Improved
- QLogic SANblade HBAs Available Through EMC Select Program
- Tell Us About a Hot Product and Get a T-Shirt!
==== Sponsor: HP ProLiant DL380 ====
Save $250 on the HP ProLiant DL380. If your data storage needs are on the rise, the HP ProLiant DL380 may be the solution you're looking for. It comes pre-loaded and pre-configured, so it's simple to deploy and easy to manage—you'll be up and running quickly. And the DL380 was designed to grow right along with your business, so you can rely on it for years to come. Best of all, you can save $250 when you buy an HP StorageWorks NAS 2000s today. You can also find out more about how NAS (Network Attached Storage) makes storage simple by downloading our free guide: "Easy as NAS."
http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;11730475;10471259;a?http://www.hp.com/sbso/special/nas2000s.html?jumpid=ex_r295_link/4Q04NASBA37/kimISS_mcc|AUNK
==========
- SAS Protocol Rounds the Final Bendv
- Memory Leak in Storage Server 2003's Virtual Disk Service
- QLogic SANblade HBAs Available Through EMC Select Program
- Tell Us About a Hot Product and Get a T-Shirt!
http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;11730475;10471259;a?http://www.hp.com/sbso/special/nas2000s.html?jumpid=ex_r295_link/4Q04NASBA37/kimISS_mcc|AUNK
==== 1. Commentary ====
by Elliot King, [email protected]
SAS Protocol Rounds the Final Bend
At the third and final scheduled Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) Plugfest, held the week of November 1 at the University of New Hampshire, it was clear that products incorporating the SAS protocol are edging closer to market. In fact, Henry Mason, director of industry marketing at LSI Logic and president of the SCSI Trade Association (STA), anticipates that SAS products could begin to appear in the indirect sales channels before the end of year and from major storage OEMs in the first quarter of 2005.
Should Mason's prediction prove accurate, the development would bring to fruition a 3-year effort to provide storage administrators with options that fit squarely into the emerging concepts of Information Lifecycle Management (ILM). Perhaps just as important, the standards-development process could serve as a model for development efforts on future standards.
The STA standards group conceived SAS as the next evolution of the long-established and long-dominant SCSI protocol, and designed it to meet the high performance requirements of enterprise data centers. But perhaps SAS's most distinctive feature is that it's a superset of the Serial ATA (SATA) protocol. For this reason, both high-performance storage devices and lower-cost ATA alternatives can use the same protocol. Over the past several years, ATA disk drives have grown in popularity, particularly for near-line or less-demanding storage applications. According to Marty Czekalski, interface architect at Maxtor and vice president at STA, administrators who use SAS will be able to use the same tools and protocol stacks to manage both high-performance and lower-performance storage technologies.
This capability fits neatly into the emerging discipline of ILM, in which storage administrators distribute data across different tiers of technology depending on its perceived value. With SAS, administrators will be able to leverage hardware investments, mix and match components, and potentially reduce the number of components in the hardware infrastructure. As a result, Czekalski said, support costs should go down.
As significant as the emergence of the protocol itself, however, is the success of the standards-development process. SAS development efforts began 3 years ago, and products incorporating the protocol will appear almost exactly on schedule, if not a little early. The timeline has held up very well, and the overall plan remains on track.
According to Mason, the effort was successful for several reasons. Perhaps most important, the group's objectives were very clear. First, the group wanted to integrate the SAS effort with the roadmap that was already in place for SATA. Consequently, the SAS development group borrowed elements from SATA to ensure compatibility. Second, the group has a strong preservation objective. It was committed to maintaining the SCSI legacy software. Third, the group lined up strong OEM commitment. Vendors wanted to introduce new products, and that commitment provided an incentive to continue to move the specifications forward within a reasonable timeframe. The standards team was determined not to invent specifications for the sake of invention but to borrow whatever could be borrowed from Fibre Channel and SATA. Finally, the desire for a common platform and infrastructure for different classes of drives resonated within the industry. In the past, the different flavors of storage technology have driven support costs up sharply.
But clear objectives and widespread industry support were only part of the formula for success. Many of the champions of the SAS protocol had experienced the challenges of previous standards efforts, and one of the major changes they made was in the use of the plugfests. In every other standards effort, the plugfests were central to figuring out why things didn't work after the development was complete. In this effort, the plugfests were part of the process and integral to the development effort. Problems were identified sooner rather than at the end.
Twenty-one companies participated in the most recent plugfest, in which interoperability among components and other pieces of the puzzle were tested. Although the results are confidential, nothing emerged to lead Mason or Czekalski to believe that the timeline will change. And as products begin to emerge, both men anticipate that adoption will be rather swift. Nonetheless, they caution, people who purchase the technology still must observe due diligence to ensure that the choices work as anticipated and meet their needs.
In the final analysis, the emergence of SAS-based products will mark a major milestone in the storage industry. Not only is the technology applicable to the emerging direction of storage, but it also reflects a successful standards-making process that can be replicated in the future.
Comment on this article at
http://www.windowsitpro.com/articles/index.cfm?articleid=44526
==== Sponsor: HP ProLiant DL380 ====
Save $250 on the HP ProLiant DL380. It's pre-loaded and pre-configured, so it's simple to deploy and easy to manage. And the NAS 2000s was designed to grow right along with your business, so you can rely on it to meet your storage needs for years to come.
http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;11730475;10471259;a?http://www.hp.com/sbso/special/nas2000s.html?jumpid=ex_r295_link/4Q04NASBA37/kimISS_mcc|AUNK
==== Announcements ====
(from Windows IT Pro and its partners)
Get a Free Digital Issue of SQL Server Magazine
Now is the time to try the #1 SQL Server resource--SQL Server Magazine. Whether you're looking for novice or advanced-level SQL Server information, our experts produce helpful answers relevant to every SQL Server user. Stay on top of such topics as Reporting Services, SQL Server 2005, security, and much more! Click here to get your free issue:
http://www.windowsitpro.com/sqlserver/digital/index.cfm?code=gupdate1115
Get a Backstage Pass to the ISA Server 2004 Hands-On Lab
In this free and exclusive online ISA Server 2004 Lab, developed by Microsoft and offered through New Horizons, you’ll learn first hand how to implement Internet access, Web publishing, VPN client access, network quarantine, and how to monitor ISA Server 2004. Space is limited. Sign up today.
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Get a Free Windows IT Pro Subscription! The Enterprise Alliance Roadshow
Come and join us for this free event and find out how a more strategic and holistic approach to IT planning helps organizations increase operational efficiency and facilitate the implementation of new technology. Attend and get a free Windows IT Pro subscription. Plus, you could win an iPod! Sign up today. Space is limited.
http://www.windowsitpro.com/roadshows/serverconsolidation/index.cfm?code=1115emailannc
==== 2. Resource ====
Memory Leak in Storage Server 2003's Virtual Disk Service
On your Microsoft Windows Storage Server-based computer, a memory leak might occur in the Virtual Disk Service (VDS). When this problem occurs, the VDS consumes the computer's available virtual memory, and the computer's performance can decrease. To learn more about this problem, see the URL below.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=886805
==== Event ====
(brought to you by Windows IT Pro)
Free Web Seminar: Best Practices for Systems Management, Part 2--Managing Applications
Join us for part two of our Best Practices Web seminar series and discover the most effective practices to monitor and manage your infrastructure applications, such as Active Directory and Exchange. You’ll learn practical techniques you need to improve service levels and maximize IT staff efficiency through real-world examples and more. Register now!
http://www.windowsitpro.com/seminars/managingapplications/index.cfm?code=1115emailannc
==== 3. New and Improved ====
by Jason Bovberg, [email protected]
QLogic SANblade HBAs Available Through EMC Select Program
QLogic announced that EMC will resell SANblade host bus adapters (HBAs) as part of its new EMC Select Program. The EMC Select Program simplifies the acquisition of best-in-class infrastructure products and enables businesses to implement Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) strategies. As a result of this agreement, customers will be able to purchase QLogic HBAs, including the QLogic SANblade 2340 and 2342 HBAs and the SANblade QLA2202FS, designed for Solaris SBus platforms, from EMC sales representatives and channel partners. EMC's customers can therefore order and implement storage solutions more easily. For more information, contact QLogic on the Web.
http://www.qlogic.com
Tell Us About a Hot Product and Get a T-Shirt!
Have you used a product that changed your IT experience by saving you time or easing your daily burden? Tell us about the product, and we'll send you a T-shirt if we write about the product in a future Windows IT Pro What's Hot column. Send your product suggestions with information about how the product has helped you to [email protected].
=========
by Elliot King, [email protected]
At the third and final scheduled Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) Plugfest, held the week of November 1 at the University of New Hampshire, it was clear that products incorporating the SAS protocol are edging closer to market. In fact, Henry Mason, director of industry marketing at LSI Logic and president of the SCSI Trade Association (STA), anticipates that SAS products could begin to appear in the indirect sales channels before the end of year and from major storage OEMs in the first quarter of 2005.
Should Mason's prediction prove accurate, the development would bring to fruition a 3-year effort to provide storage administrators with options that fit squarely into the emerging concepts of Information Lifecycle Management (ILM). Perhaps just as important, the standards-development process could serve as a model for development efforts on future standards.
The STA standards group conceived SAS as the next evolution of the long-established and long-dominant SCSI protocol, and designed it to meet the high performance requirements of enterprise data centers. But perhaps SAS's most distinctive feature is that it's a superset of the Serial ATA (SATA) protocol. For this reason, both high-performance storage devices and lower-cost ATA alternatives can use the same protocol. Over the past several years, ATA disk drives have grown in popularity, particularly for near-line or less-demanding storage applications. According to Marty Czekalski, interface architect at Maxtor and vice president at STA, administrators who use SAS will be able to use the same tools and protocol stacks to manage both high-performance and lower-performance storage technologies.
This capability fits neatly into the emerging discipline of ILM, in which storage administrators distribute data across different tiers of technology depending on its perceived value. With SAS, administrators will be able to leverage hardware investments, mix and match components, and potentially reduce the number of components in the hardware infrastructure. As a result, Czekalski said, support costs should go down.
As significant as the emergence of the protocol itself, however, is the success of the standards-development process. SAS development efforts began 3 years ago, and products incorporating the protocol will appear almost exactly on schedule, if not a little early. The timeline has held up very well, and the overall plan remains on track.
According to Mason, the effort was successful for several reasons. Perhaps most important, the group's objectives were very clear. First, the group wanted to integrate the SAS effort with the roadmap that was already in place for SATA. Consequently, the SAS development group borrowed elements from SATA to ensure compatibility. Second, the group has a strong preservation objective. It was committed to maintaining the SCSI legacy software. Third, the group lined up strong OEM commitment. Vendors wanted to introduce new products, and that commitment provided an incentive to continue to move the specifications forward within a reasonable timeframe. The standards team was determined not to invent specifications for the sake of invention but to borrow whatever could be borrowed from Fibre Channel and SATA. Finally, the desire for a common platform and infrastructure for different classes of drives resonated within the industry. In the past, the different flavors of storage technology have driven support costs up sharply.
But clear objectives and widespread industry support were only part of the formula for success. Many of the champions of the SAS protocol had experienced the challenges of previous standards efforts, and one of the major changes they made was in the use of the plugfests. In every other standards effort, the plugfests were central to figuring out why things didn't work after the development was complete. In this effort, the plugfests were part of the process and integral to the development effort. Problems were identified sooner rather than at the end.
Twenty-one companies participated in the most recent plugfest, in which interoperability among components and other pieces of the puzzle were tested. Although the results are confidential, nothing emerged to lead Mason or Czekalski to believe that the timeline will change. And as products begin to emerge, both men anticipate that adoption will be rather swift. Nonetheless, they caution, people who purchase the technology still must observe due diligence to ensure that the choices work as anticipated and meet their needs.
In the final analysis, the emergence of SAS-based products will mark a major milestone in the storage industry. Not only is the technology applicable to the emerging direction of storage, but it also reflects a successful standards-making process that can be replicated in the future.
Comment on this article at
http://www.windowsitpro.com/articles/index.cfm?articleid=44526
http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;11730475;10471259;a?http://www.hp.com/sbso/special/nas2000s.html?jumpid=ex_r295_link/4Q04NASBA37/kimISS_mcc|AUNK
(from Windows IT Pro and its partners)
Now is the time to try the #1 SQL Server resource--SQL Server Magazine. Whether you're looking for novice or advanced-level SQL Server information, our experts produce helpful answers relevant to every SQL Server user. Stay on top of such topics as Reporting Services, SQL Server 2005, security, and much more! Click here to get your free issue:
http://www.windowsitpro.com/sqlserver/digital/index.cfm?code=gupdate1115
In this free and exclusive online ISA Server 2004 Lab, developed by Microsoft and offered through New Horizons, you’ll learn first hand how to implement Internet access, Web publishing, VPN client access, network quarantine, and how to monitor ISA Server 2004. Space is limited. Sign up today.
http://www.windowsitpro.com/roadshows/security/index.cfm?action=handsontraining&code=1115emailannc
Come and join us for this free event and find out how a more strategic and holistic approach to IT planning helps organizations increase operational efficiency and facilitate the implementation of new technology. Attend and get a free Windows IT Pro subscription. Plus, you could win an iPod! Sign up today. Space is limited.
http://www.windowsitpro.com/roadshows/serverconsolidation/index.cfm?code=1115emailannc
On your Microsoft Windows Storage Server-based computer, a memory leak might occur in the Virtual Disk Service (VDS). When this problem occurs, the VDS consumes the computer's available virtual memory, and the computer's performance can decrease. To learn more about this problem, see the URL below.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=886805
(brought to you by Windows IT Pro)
Join us for part two of our Best Practices Web seminar series and discover the most effective practices to monitor and manage your infrastructure applications, such as Active Directory and Exchange. You’ll learn practical techniques you need to improve service levels and maximize IT staff efficiency through real-world examples and more. Register now!
http://www.windowsitpro.com/seminars/managingapplications/index.cfm?code=1115emailannc
by Jason Bovberg, [email protected]
QLogic announced that EMC will resell SANblade host bus adapters (HBAs) as part of its new EMC Select Program. The EMC Select Program simplifies the acquisition of best-in-class infrastructure products and enables businesses to implement Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) strategies. As a result of this agreement, customers will be able to purchase QLogic HBAs, including the QLogic SANblade 2340 and 2342 HBAs and the SANblade QLA2202FS, designed for Solaris SBus platforms, from EMC sales representatives and channel partners. EMC's customers can therefore order and implement storage solutions more easily. For more information, contact QLogic on the Web.
http://www.qlogic.com
Have you used a product that changed your IT experience by saving you time or easing your daily burden? Tell us about the product, and we'll send you a T-shirt if we write about the product in a future Windows IT Pro What's Hot column. Send your product suggestions with information about how the product has helped you to [email protected].
==== Contact Us ====
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About sponsoring UPDATE -- [email protected]
===============
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