Hewlett-Packard has added two more products to its
StorageWorks Modular Smart Array (MSA) family and created four
packaged solutions by combining the MSA products with its ProLiant
servers.
The company's aim is to simplify storage for small- and
medium-sized businesses.
The MSA30 is a direct attach storage device for single
servers which is ideal for workgroups and departmental users, said
Parag Suri, category business manager, networked storage solutions
at HP Canada. It consists of 14 hard drives with a capacity of
145GB each, and can store up to 2TB of data, Suri said. It sells
for $3,200.
To use the MSA30, users would need to connect it to a server
using an HP Smart Array Raid controller.
The MSA500 also stores up to 2TB of data and is a direct attach
storage system, but it is designed for a two-node cluster or can be
used in a low-cost four-node storage system. HP said it is ideal
for consolidating storage in remote sites or in distributed
clustered environments. It retails at $5,700.
However, if users wanted to implement a San environment, then
they could consider the MSA1000, which is a 14-drive, 4U array,
with six- to eight-port Fibre Channel switches. It can store up to
6TB of data, and is priced at $9,995.
Alan Freedman, research manager, infrastructure hardware at IDC,
said HP is positioned to do well in the SME market.
Prices of components are dropping in the storage market, he
added, making technology previously unattainable available in
entry-level solutions.
Freeman said that when it comes to storage, SMEs need a product
that is easy to install, easy to manage, is automated, integrated
with back-up and is upgradeable over time.
HP is bundling its MSA offerings with its ProLiant servers. The
first package includes two HP ProLiant DL380 servers, an MSA 500
enclosure, two host bus adapters and the required cables. HP said
this is ideal for remote sites and distributed clustered
environments. All the equipment comes pre-configured. It costs
$9,999.
There is a packaged offering combining two HP ProLiant DL380
servers, an MSA1000 enclosure, two host bus adapters, one
eight-port Fibre Channel switch, and the required cables. HP said
it is designed for multiple clusters and multi-node clusters
capable of supporting up to 20 servers, and is priced at
$19,999.
HP is also selling MSA500 and MSA1000 Starter Kits and High
Availability Kits. The Starter Kits include hardware and software
to enable users to consolidate storage in direct attach SCSI
environments, in the case of the MSA500 or an entry-level San
environment, in the case of the MSA1000. These kits cost $5,499 and
$14,900 for the MSA500 and MSA1000 kits respectively.
The High Availability Kits provide the tools for the user to
enable fully redundant configurations, and cost $3,999 for the
MSA500 kit, and $14,500 for the MSA1000 kit.
Rebecca Reid writes for ITWorldCanada.com