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Tiếng ViệtUnderstanding the challenges, EMC has launched storage solution Isilon with Scale-Out NAS architecture bringing outstanding benefit and helping many clients such as news agencies, television providers, and big content productions like NBC, ESPN, Discovery Channel, AP, Canada TV, VIACOM (owner of Paramount Pictures, MTV), TV channel of Telstra, SCTV of Vietnam… fully resolved many difficulties beyond the explosion of data.
- Introduction
Traditional technology and models of television data storage and treatment cannot completely resolve the above challenges because too much data cannot be treated efficiently. Not to mention more investment in human resources is needed to operate and ensure read/record data performance, and address the high availability of television equipment and services on demand in the future.
Understanding the challenges, EMC has launched storage solution Isilon with Scale-Out NAS architecture bringing outstanding benefit and helping many clients such as news agencies, television providers, and big content productions like NBC, ESPN, Discovery Channel, AP, Canada TV, VIACOM (owner of Paramount Pictures, MTV), TV channel of Telstra, SCTV of Vietnam… fully resolved many difficulties beyond the explosion of data.
- Overview of Isilon
Scale-Out architect
Isilon Storage System is designed based on Scale-Out architect platform so it has many preeminent features compared to traditional Scale-Up architect.
Scale-Up storage system is used to equip 2 fixed storage controllers for load balancing and redundancy of each other when problems occur so performance of the system is constant. With this model of storage system, it can only expand capacity in a limited way in controller performance. In case the system needs to extend either performance or capacity, only replacing new controllers or moving data to new systems with more powerful controllers can be implemented. It will cause a really big problem when moving data up to hundreds of TB.
Scale-Out architect of Isilon was born to eliminate weaknesses of Scale-up. Instead of 2 fixed controllers, Scale-Out enables multi controllers to expand connections together to create a cluster with parallel operation. On the controllers are CPU, RAM, NIC and hard disks so when assembling these controllers together, the overall efficiency and capacity of the system also increases linearly. OneFS software of Isilon is responsible for controlling this cluster. Although the system is assembled of multi controllers, under control of OneFS, the whole system becomes a unique file system. The data stored on the system will be spread out on the controller to combine their processing power and enhance availability and fault tolerance of the system many times more than the Scale-Up.
Overall architect
OneFS Operation Enviroment
The heart of the system is Isilon OneFS operating software. OneFS has the ability to control the entire operation of cluster systems, such as file system creation, establishment of protection, load balancing, data transfer, access and management permission distribution, notifications, alerts, reports and other premium features.
Overview of Isilon product lines
Isilon has three main product lines: S-series, X-series and NL-series. Each line is designed with suitable functions, purposes and applications.
Isilon S-Series
S-Series is the highest performance node of Isilon. This is the most powerful configuration product with the most RAM and CPU. In addition, combination with SSD disk can boost data processing capability for applications. EMC recommends using S-Series for applications that require many random access IOPS on files such as content creation applications, rendering, simulation or High Performance Computing (HPC).
Isilon X-Series
X-Series is optimized for high speed sequential access applications (throughput), and large bandwidth. X-Series is suitable for broadcasts and post-production.
Isilon NL-Series
NL-Series has the largest capacity of Isilon and is optimized for expansion of capacity. EMC recommends using NL-Series for long term storage, documentation data which are accessed less frequently.
Automated Tiering
S-Series, X-Series and NL-Series are three product lines designed for different purposes. However, Isilon’s unique point of three products is they can be assembled on the same system made of 3 layers of data or a split system into 3 tiers as shown below:
Data will be transferred transparently between users and applications among tiers automatically basing on fixed policies (Automated Tiering). The benefits of automated tiering allow using data efficiently for the right purposes with optimal investment. For example, with a staged movie, the original data will be given priority in S-Series tier because they need more IOPS. After completing staging, this movie will be broadcast on TV. Now we need more throughput so this film needs to move to the tier of X-Series. Then when the film is converted to long term storage, it will be moved to the tier of NL-Series. After a while, this film is required to broadcast again, it will be moved up to the tier of X-Series. All of the data transfers are done automatically by SmartPool software of Isilon.
