Comparison Features

Architecture

IBM Storwize V7000 Native, integrated storage virtualization Both a midrange disk array with enterprise-class features and an external virtualization platform Leverages proven innovations from other IBM storage platforms Supports clustering up to eight controller nodes (four controller enclosures) Unified model features dual active File Modules providing file access over NFS, CIFS, FTP, HTTPS, and SCP protocols FC, iSCSI, and FCoE host connectivity

EMC VNX Series (VNX5300/5500/5500-F/ 5700/7500) Midrange unified SAN and NAS storage platform Dual active controllers with front-end cache and SAS back-end drive connections FC, iSCSI, and FCoE host connections for SAN Up to eight X-Blades provide file access over NFS, CIFS, pNFS, and MPFS protocols Controllers and X-Blades support flexible plug-in UltraFlex modules for connectivity; UltraFlex modules include FC, iSCSI, and FCoE options Supports high-capacity LFF SAS, high-performance LFF SAS, and high-performance SFF SAS disk drives, in addition to LFF and SFF SSDs

Performance

Economics and Value

Features

Supports high-capacity large-form-factor (LFF), high-capacity small-form-factor (SFF), and high-performance SFF SAS disk drives, as well as SFF SSDs Impressive SPC-1 and SPC-2 benchmark results No voluntary participation in SPC benchmarks Easy Tier optimizes performance by automating data movement among storage tiers in 16 EMC claims up to three times faster than the previous-generation CLARiiON CX4; however, the MB to 8 GB chunks; bundled with the base software basis for this claim is questionable FAST VP for automated block and file tiering in 1 GB increments; FAST Cache for up to 2.1 TB Clustered systems deliver up to four times the performance of the base model SSD cache; both are costly options FlashCopy, Easy Tier, thin provisioning, data migration, multipathing, and Active Cloud Compression, thin provisioning, and data migration provided at no extra charge, but point-in-time Engine are provided at no additional charge copies, multipathing, and storage tiering are chargeable options File Modules and file-serving software are priced competitively Lower-end models (VNX5300/5500) are very cost-competitive Higher-end models (VNX5700/7500), in general, are more expensive per GB than the Storwize Standard warranty covers both three-year hardware and one-year software maintenance V7000 External storage virtualization capability extends lifecycle and allows for easy migration of Similar price per GB to the Storwize V7000 for mixed SSD and SAS configurations legacy systems, thus enabling a better return on investment (ROI) Standard warranty covers three years for hardware but 90 days only for software Virtualization of external SAN-attached heterogeneous storage systems Up to 2,970 TB raw capacity Up to 1.44 PB internal storage and a total of 32 PB internal and external storage Underlying file technology based on Multi-Path File System (MPFS) Local Protection Suite (includes Snap View, VNX Snapshot, SnapSure, and RecoverPoint /SE) full Easy-to-use, intuitive GUI clone (block), file and block snapshot copies, and continuous data protection (CDP) for any-point-intime recovery (block) Remote Protection Suite (includes MirrorView, Replicator, and RecoverPoint /SE) remote block Underlying file technology based on industry-leading General Parallel File System (GPFS) and file replication and continuous remote replication (CRR) with WAN deduplication and bandwidth reduction FlashCopy for local point-in-time block volume copies MirrorView is less scalable than Storwize V7000 Remote Mirroring File snapshots for local point-in-time file system and file set copies RecoverPoint/SE supports both block and file replication but file replication is limited Security and Compliance Suite includes file-level retention, host-based encryption, and antivirus Thin provisioning with zero detection integration and provides additional legal compliance and data security options EMC's Cloud Tiering Appliance enables ILM functionality on VNX arrays but increases solution Remote Mirroring for remote block volume replication complexity Asynchronous file replication for remote file system replication Drive spin-down on nearline SAS and select 10K rpm SAS drives Native in-line compression Native postprocess compression Integrates with IBM Systems Director and TPC for advanced manageability; TPC for Disk Native postprocess file deduplication Select and TPC Select available as cost-effective solutions Integrates with Tivoli FlashCopy Manager and Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack for Supports thin provisioning, but zero detection solution only works with the Veritas File System advanced backup and disaster recovery solutions (VxFS) Active Cloud Engine enables policy-based file migration between storage tiers; bundled Virtual Storage Integrator Plug-in for VMware vCenter; plug-in for VAAI; plug-in for vSphere with base software Storage APIs for Storage Awareness (VASA); plug-ins for SRM Plug-ins for VMware vCenter, Site Recovery Manager (SRM), and vStorage APIs for VNX Management Pack for Microsoft SCOM Array Integration (VAAI) Plug-in for Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (SCOM)