Skip to main content

We've Moved!

Product Documentation has moved to docs.hitachivantara.com
Hitachi Vantara Knowledge

Introducing Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform Gx00 and Fx00

Based on Hitachi's industry-leading storage technology, the Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform G200, G400, G600, G800 (VSP Gx00 models) and the all-flash Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform F400, F600, F800 (VSP Fx00 models) include a range of versatile, high-performance storage systems that deliver flash-accelerated scalability, simplified management, and advanced data protection.

About the Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform Gx00 and Fx00 models

The Hitachi VSP Gx00 models and the all-flash VSP Fx00 models provide unparalleled performance, efficiency, and reliability. The Hitachi VSP Gx00 and Fx00 models feature complete system redundancy, hot-swappable parts, nondisruptive updates, and hardware-based compression, and they use the same common operating system, network file services, management, migration, virtualization, replication, and data protection services as the industry-leading Hitachi VSP G1000, G1500, and F1500 high-end arrays.

Key features

Key features of the VSP Gx00 and Fx00 models include:

  • Up to 4M IOPS performance
  • 100% data-availability guarantee
  • Cloud-optimization
  • Enhanced integration for VMware®, Windows®, and Oracle® environments
  • Embedded NAS functionality
  • Advanced active-active clustering, replication, and snapshots
  • Active flash tiering and groundbreaking flash modules
Embedded NAS modules

Hitachi VSP G400, G600, G800 and VSP F400, F600, F800 can be configured with embedded NAS modules to provide native NAS functionality in a compact and powerful package. This space-optimized design retains Hitachi's unique field-programmable gate array (FPGA) NAS architecture, enabling you to easily deploy a scalable SAN, NAS, and cloud-optimized platform throughout your enterprise.

Cloud-optimization

With many enterprises implementing both private and public cloud services as part of their overall IT strategy, the ability to take advantage of this hybrid data migration solution is critical. The data migrator to cloud feature enables policy-driven, user-transparent, and automatic file tiering of less used (cold) files from unified models to private clouds, such as Hitachi Content Platform, and public clouds, such as Amazon S3 or Microsoft® Azure. This approach frees up storage resources for more frequently accessed applications for Tier 1 storage, thus reducing overall storage expenditures.

Storage Virtualization Operating System

Hitachi Storage Virtualization Operating System (SVOS) abstracts information from storage systems, virtualizes and pools available storage resources, and automates key data management functions such as configuration, mobility, optimization, and protection. This unified virtual environment enables you to maximize the utilization and capabilities of your storage resources while at the same time reducing operations overhead and risk. Standards-compatible for easy integration into IT environments, storage virtualization and management capabilities provide the utmost agility and control, helping you build infrastructures that are continuously available, automated, and agile.

SVOS provides the foundation for superior storage performance, high availability, and IT efficiency. The enterprise-grade capabilities in SVOS include centralized management across storage systems and advanced storage features, such as active-active data centers and online migration between storage systems without user or workload disruption. Features of SVOS include:

  • External storage virtualization
  • Thin provisioning and automated tiering
  • Flash performance acceleration
  • Deduplication and compression of data stored on internal flash drives
  • Storage service-level controls
  • Data-at-rest encryption
  • Performance instrumentation across multiple storage platforms
  • Centralized storage management
    • Simplified: Hitachi Storage Advisor
    • Advanced and powerful: Hitachi Command Suite, Command Control Interface
Hitachi Accelerated Flash storage

Hitachi Accelerated Flash (HAF) storage delivers best-in-class performance and efficiency in the Hitachi VSP G series and VSP F series storage systems.

HAF features patented flash module drives (FMDs) that are rack-optimized with a highly dense design that delivers greater than 338 TB effective capacity per 2U tray based on a typical 2:1 compression ratio. IOPS performance yields up to five times better results than that of enterprise solid-state drives (SSDs), resulting in leading performance, lowest bit cost, highest capacity, and extended endurance. HAF integrated with SVOS enables leading, real-application performance, lower effective cost, and superior consistent response times. Running on VSP Gx00 models and VSP Fx00 models, HAF with SVOS enables transactions executed within sub-millisecond response even at petabyte scale.

  • Key features: HAF delivers outstanding value compared to enterprise SSDs. When compared to small-form-factor 1.92-TB SSDs, the HAF drives deliver:
    • Up to three times the per-device random read 8 KB I/O performance
    • Up to five times the per-device random write 8 KB I/O performance
    • Up to 70% lower effective bit price
    • 60% lower response time at peak load
    • 60 times faster formatting speed
    • Superior data integrity
  • Second- and third-generation flash modules: The new FMD DC2 and FMD HD drives are designed to support concurrent, large I/O enterprise workloads and enable hyperscale efficiencies. At their core is an advanced embedded multicore flash controller that increases the performance of multi-layer cell (MLC) flash to levels that exceed those achieved by more expensive single-level cell (SLC) flash SSDs. Their inline compression offload engine and enhanced flash translation layer empower the drives to deliver up to 80% data reduction (typically 2:1) at 10 times the speed of competing drives. With more raw capacity and inline, no-penalty compression, these FMDs enable up to five times more write IOPS than SSDs.
Nondisruptive migration

Hitachi offers nondisruptive migration capabilities in two options. You can choose the service that Hitachi Vantara Global Services Solutions (GSS) offers through its migration center-of-excellence team, or self-service delivery built on Hitachi Command Suite management software. Both options accelerate data center infrastructure transformations by leveraging Hitachi's latest enterprise storage technology. These offerings enable large-scale migration capabilities that require less time and effort to execute and deliver continuous operations while ensuring application quality of service and maintaining data protection.

  • Hitachi Command Suite nondisruptive migration option is designed for experienced administrators who prefer a self-service option for traditional one-to-one platform refresh.
  • Nondisruptive migration from GSS migration center of excellence team is intended for more complex, large-scale, heterogeneous and replicated data center environments.

Application solutions

Hitachi's portfolio of advanced storage solutions enables you to solve your application infrastructure challenges and achieve the highest application service levels with solutions made for resilience and speed. Make your business application investments count with proven solutions for converged, cloud, storage, server, database, and other applications.

VMware® support

Hitachi VSP Gx00 models and VSP Fx00 models are aligned with the VMware® software-defined storage vision, providing the following support:

  • Hitachi Storage Provider for VMware vCenter: Hitachi Storage Provider works with VMware vSphere® API for Storage Awareness (VASA) to provide access to Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform Gx00 and Fx00, Hitachi NAS 4000 series, and VSP Gx00 and Fx00 models with embedded NAS modules. Storage Provider enables policy-based storage management using VMware Storage Policy-based Management (SPBM) and VMware Virtual Volumes (VVols). VVols are supported for both block and file on unified VSP Gx00 and Fx00 models. In the management operation, you can create a VVol datastore by selecting a Storage Container without any special knowledge of the storage system. You can create a virtual machine (VM) by setting policies (such as high IOPS and reliability) and can also verify whether the VM complies with these policies. Storage Provider provides a simplified method for VMware admins and storage admins to deliver effective storage that meets advanced VM requirements.
  • vSphere® Storage APIs - Array Integration (VAAI): VAAI uses storage-native file cloning technology to drive the cloning of VMs from within VMware®'s standard GUI. This functionality is displayed in VMware® as "Hardware Acceleration". Cloning a VM using file clones is substantially faster and more space efficient than traditional host-based copy software.
  • Hitachi Storage Replication Adapter (SRA): Hitachi Storage Replication Adapter (SRA) for VMware® Site Recovery Manager provides a disaster recovery (DR) solution that works with both your storage environment and your VMware® environment. Supporting both block and file, Hitachi SRA provides an automated replication solution between the production and recovery sites to replicate the storage hosting the VMs, enabling running VMs to seamlessly fail over to the recovery site. Arrays at both sites are "paired" during Site Recovery Manager configuration, and VMware® administrators use the Site Recovery Manager application to manage the configuration and definition of the DR plan.
  • Hitachi Virtual Infrastructure Integrator (V2I): Hitachi Virtual Infrastructure Integrator (V2I) provides managed data protection/clone services for VMs and VMware® datastores and enhanced storage management and best practices validation for VM administrators. Hitachi V2I enables you to leverage VM-level storage hardware snapshots, resulting in improved RTO/RPO. Both VM-consistent and application-consistent backup are provided, and new VMs are automatically protected. Hitachi V2I also provides visibility to NFS storage services so you can see which VMs are sharing the same datastore and which NAS system is serving a specific datastore. Hitachi V2I API services are enabled for Hitachi Data Instance Director (HDID) integration.
  • vStorage API for Multipathing (VAMP): Hitachi VSP Gx00 models and VSP Fx00 models support VAMP to provide enhanced control of I/O path selection and failover.
  • vStorage API for Data Protection (VADP): Hitachi VSP Gx00 models and VSP Fx00 models support VADP to enable backup applications to perform file-level or VM-level backup of running VMs.
  • Hitachi Storage Manager for VMware® vCenter: Hitachi Storage Manager for VMware® vCenter is a plug-in that provides integrated management of Hitachi storage systems within vCenter.
Microsoft Windows® support

Server virtualization integration with leading virtual server platforms gives you end-to-end visibility from an individual virtual machine to the storage logical unit and protects largescale multivendor environments. Support for Microsoft Windows® 2012 (including Microsoft Hyper-V) and Systems Center includes:

  • Microsoft Virtual ShadowCopy Service (VSS)
  • Microsoft Windows Offloaded Data Transfer (ODX)
  • Hitachi Infrastructure Adapter for Microsoft Systems Center Operations Manager
  • Hitachi Storage Adapter for Microsoft Storage Management Provider
  • Hitachi Storage Adapter for Microsoft Systems Center Orchestrator
Oracle® support

Hitachi Vantara has developed and supported IT solutions for many of the world’s largest companies with the most demanding Oracle® database environments, solutions that maximize business value, enhance your progress toward greater business outcomes, and ensure that you continue to see great performance from your Oracle® systems.

  • Hitachi storage and server adapters for Oracle® databases provide integrated tools for converged infrastructure management and data protection. Hitachi Storage Adapters for Oracle Enterprise Manager, Oracle VM, Oracle Web Center, Oracle Automated Storage Reclamation Utility, and Oracle Database Cloning help you manage your database with less effort and better results. Hitachi Storage Adapter for Oracle Recovery Manager integrates multiple protection services to maximize database availability.
  • Hitachi drivers for Oracle® environments enhance consolidation, performance, and efficiency.
  • The Database Infrastructure Evaluation Tool (DIET), available to Oracle® database administrators at no cost, analyzes your entire Oracle® database environment and provides best practices and expert recommendations on areas for improvement to ensure your storage, compute, and converged infrastructure operates at peak utilization.
  • Hitachi Dynamic Provisioning gives your Oracle® applications the right amount and right type of storage to maximize performance and efficiency.
  • Hitachi Dynamic Tiering offers finely tuned performance for Oracle®, automatically keeping the most crucial data on the fastest storage.

 

  • Was this article helpful?