LSI Logic Joins Other Storage Powerhouses in the Midmarket

The company introduces four new models to its 4G bps storage line, which until now included the higher-end Engenio 6998.

LSI Logic has refreshed its storage system line for the midrange, upgrading from 2G bps Fibre Channel to 4G bps Fibre Channel.

The Milpitas, Calif.-based company has introduced four new models to its 4G bps storage line, which until now included the higher-end Engenio 6998.

On the lower end, aimed at small businesses, LSI Logic has the 2G bps Engenio 2822, marketed by IBM as the TotalStorage DS4100.

The new products include models 3992 and 3992 Turbo, as well as the 3994 and 6994.

All products are managed through the companys SANtricity Storage Manager software, which offers data replication, partitioning, snapshotting, RVM (Remove Volume Mirroring) and volume copying.

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The 3992 Storage System offers four 4G bps Fibre Channel host ports and four 4G bps Fibre Channel drives, tapping out at a maximum of 112 drives, either Fibre Channel or SATA (Serial ATA).

It offers 2GB of cache memory. The Turbo version of the 3992 offers up to 16 drives.

The 3994 Storage System ratchets it up a notch, providing eight 4G bps Fibre Channel host ports, four 4G bps Fibre Channel drive ports, with a maximum of 112 drives, either Fibre Channel or SATA, The 3994 also offers 4GB of cache memory.

The 6994 Storage System has 16 drives, with a 4G bps Fibre Channel enclosure for expansion.

The 6994 supports intermixing of Fibre Channel and SATA drives, and can expand up to 224 drives. It also offers eight auto-negotiating 4G bps Fibre Channel connections.

These modular systems are intended to allow midrange companies, which tend to increase storage needs over time, the ability to upgrade as necessary, at an attractive price point, said Steve Gardner, director of product marketing for LSI Logics Engenio storage group.

To read more about LSI Logic, click here.

"This allows them to upgrade their performance and connectivity in terms of the number and speed of connections within a compatible family," he said.

With these models, LSI Logic, an OEM that supplies IBM, among other storage vendors, with storage systems, stands in lock-step with competitor EMC, of Hopkinton, Mass., which May 8 introduced the Clariion UltraScale architecture and CX3 series of networked storage systems. The new products offer 4G bps Fibre Channel technology.

Both EMCs announcement and LSI Logics announcement signal a sea change in the way vendors are approaching the midmarket, said John Webster, senior analyst and partner at Data Mobility Group of Nashua, N.H.

"They are directly compatible, and they seem to be going head to head on this," he said.

"And once IBM adds these new Engenio boxes to their line, IBM, with its 4000 series, will be in direct competition with EMC in the midrange."

Webster said he expects Sun Microsystems and Hitachi Data Systems to follow suit.

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