IBM Systems and Technology
Data Sheet
Highlights
●● ● ●
Deliver consistent, tuning-free high
performance and ease of use via a grid-
based architecture
Scale cloud storage capacity and
●● ● ●
performance linearly and manage up to
144 frames using IBM Hyper-Scale
Enable elasticity, open-standards support
●● ● ●
and mixed-workload affinity for optimized
compute clouds and virtualized
environments
●● ● ●
Offer business continuity with three-site
mirroring,1 full redundancy, self-healing
and unprecedented rebuild speed
●● ● ●
Provide compelling data economics
through superb price-performance,
simplicity, all-inclusive software licensing
and flexible acquisition options ideal for
service providers
IBM XIV Storage System
Storage reinvented: Secure, cloud-optimized enterprise
storage that scales with ease
As the planet becomes more instrumented, interconnected and intelli-
gent, your business faces the challenge of managing huge quantities of
data and extracting the most value from it—efficiently and flexibly—
while meeting the needs of customers, partners and employees. Having
the right storage infrastructure matters; it is crucial to the survival
and growth of enterprises and service providers, especially those laying
foundations for cloud.
IBM® XIV® Storage System is high-end f lash-optimized data storage
designed to deliver simplicity, resiliency and predictability that are ideal
for cloud and big-data analytics environments to support their need for
high performance, high availability, operational flexibility and security.
Built to simplify storage, XIV Storage System is enabling thousands of
organizations to take control of their storage and gain business insights
from their data. XIV storage is deployed in diverse industries worldwide,
including financial, healthcare, telecommunications, managed services,
energy and manufacturing. It integrates easily with virtualization,
email, database, analytics, data protection and other solutions from
leading providers such as VMware, Microsoft, SAP, Oracle Solaris,
SAS and Symantec.
Designed for consistent, enterprise-level performance and five-nines
availability, XIV storage handles static and dynamic workloads with ease.
Never compromising performance for reliability, the XIV grid architec-
ture delivers massive parallelism—resulting in uniform allocation of
system resources at all times. XIV storage sets a new standard for ease
of use by automating most tasks and providing an extraordinarily intui-
tive user interface. IBM XIV Mobile Dashboard can make life that much
easier with anytime, anywhere XIV monitoring from mobile devices.
IBM Systems and Technology
Data Sheet

Data Module

FC 15 data modules, each containing:

12 high-density SAS disk drives
Host Data Module
48 GB memory
Six-core Intel CPU
Host 2 x 20 Gbps InfiniBand HCA ports
2 TB, 3 TB, 4 TB SEDs
Inter-module 400 GB flash cache (optional),
iSCSI Data Module connectivity
2 TB, 3 TB, 4 TB SEDs
800 GB flash cache (optional)
Host
4 TB SEDs
Host connectivity:
24 x 8 Gbps FC ports
Data Module 12 x 10 Gbps (or 22 x 1 Gbps) iSCSI ports
2 InfiniBand switches:
Redundant inter-module connectivity
Flash cache 600 Gbps total inter-module bandwidth
(optional)
3 UPS modules:
Cache CPU
Stable power to all system components
UPS UPS UPS Safe shutdown upon power outage

Interface Disks

XIV Storage System—components and connectivity

IBM XIV: Blue skies for your cloud

XIV storage is an ideal match for the unique requirements of
cloud deployments. Core XIV attributes—grid architecture,
autonomic data placement and scaled management—offer
elasticity, ease of use and uninterrupted high service levels in
handling general-purpose workloads, and with no need for
tuning or configuration. Powerful multi-tenancy1 brings XIV
simplicity and security to the cloud by allowing users to manage
tenant data and storage resources across XIV systems without
planning and tuning. And game-changing IBM Hyper-Scale
features help users accommodate essential scenarios such as
for data mobility, load balancing, over-provisioning, system
repurposing and centralized management across up to
144 frames (46.8 petabytes usable).
Storage infrastructure matters for cloud
●●
Simplicity: Easy capacity planning, autonomic data distribution,
simple multi-tenant administration1 and tuning-free performance
with diverse workloads help lower capital and operational
expenses; flexible acquisition options such as IBM XIV Cloud
Storage for Service Providers as well as the Advanced System
Placement program help ease financial decisions in rapidly growing
cloud settings.
●●
Resiliency: Grid-scale architecture and exceptionally fast disk
rebuilds deliver full redundancy for uninterrupted access to data
even as dynamic workloads surge; data-at-rest encryption ensures
enterprise-class security and privacy.
Predictability: The XIV grid design enables optimal, predictable
●●

performance and resource sharing across concurrent workloads,

without administrator involvement, guaranteeing service level
The XIV Cloud Storage for Service Providers product further
agreements (SLAs); high predictability of input/output (I/O) is made
empowers users with the flexibility to combine a robust set of possible with the unique XIV ability to ingest workloads without
base functions with license-per-need features. The ability to pay having to configure logical unit numbers (LUNs).
for functionality when it is required enables cloud providers to
tailor services to customer needs even more cost-effectively.

2
IBM Systems and Technology
Data Sheet
Born optimized for consistent high
performance
Driving XIV performance benefits is the massively parallel grid
architecture, which delivers hotspot-free, consistent, predictable
high performance to all applications at all times—tuning-free.
This same service level is maintained even during peak load
periods, management or maintenance activities, and disk
recovery.
Several architectural features contribute to the XIV system’s
unique performance profile:
●● ●
Massive parallelism, fully distributed architecture: XIV
storage uses a distributed design of interconnected modules,
each with its own multi-core CPU, cache, f lash caching
(optional) and high-density disk drives working in parallel to
serve data efficiently and continually to every application.
●● ●
Distributed data: The system stores data by dividing it into
1 MB partitions—each mirrored to another module for
redundancy—and uses an advanced pseudo-random distribu-
tion algorithm to spread the partitions automatically and
uniformly across all the disks.
●● ●
Distributed cache: A flexible and powerful cache implemen-
tation allows XIV storage to leverage large slots for reads
while managing a smaller slot size, resulting in a superior
cache hit ratio and better performance.
●● ●
Flash caching (optional): XIV uses its distributed architec-
ture to deploy flash as a cache, across all volumes, benefiting
all applications—and without the need to manage tiers. The
f lash drives read cache, the most frequently accessed data,
dynamically and adaptively—boosting performance by up to
4.5 times.2
●● ●
Smart scaling: Any capacity increase via added modules pro-
vides a corresponding increase in processing power, cache,
f lash caching (optional) and connectivity, maintaining consis-
tent high performance as the system scales.
3
●● ●
Load balancing: The system automatically balances applica-
tion load across all modules uniformly; doing so helps pre-
vent many performance and reliability risks that can plague
traditional clustered controller designs.
●● ●
­
Hotspot-free: Changes to the application or its I/O pattern
do not affect system performance. As workloads change and
evolve, the system stays hotspot-free.
●● ●
High bandwidth between and within modules:
Communication between modules takes place over an inter-
nal, redundant InfiniBand network equipped with massive
bandwidth, which supports rapid rebuilding when necessary.
Each module has its own extremely large CPU-to-memory
­ ­
and disk-to-memory bandwidth.
●● ●
Huge processing resources: Each module is equipped with
its own multi-core processor, putting 90 CPU cores at the
disposal of each frame. XIV storage uses this vast processing
power to execute advanced caching algorithms that support
small cache slots, ensuring high performance even when
using advanced features.
●● ●
High performance, even during disk rebuild and hard-
ware failure: XIV storage maintains consistent high perfor-
mance at all times because all the disks engage in the rebuild
process simultaneously, resulting in extremely rapid disk
rebuild times.
Built for enterprise availability and
security
XIV Storage System is designed for uncompromising five-nines
availability, continuous operation without interruption to data
access and industry-standard security:
●● ●
Active-active N+1 redundancy: All key system compo-
nents—disks, modules, switches, host connectivity and unin-
terruptible power supply (UPS) units—are fully redundant
and protected through active-active N+1 redundancy. Each
component is hot-swappable—replaceable without system
shutdown.
IBM Systems and Technology
Data Sheet

●● ●
High availability and disaster recovery: XIV storage
includes business continuity features to help ensure enterprise
data resiliency, including synchronous and asynchronous
mirroring; three-site mirroring1 featuring three concurrent,
synchronized copies of data; and “quick-start” of synchronous
mirroring through off line initialization.
●● ●
Encryption: XIV storage offers data-at-rest encryption with
external key management support. All XIV systems are
shipped with self-encrypting hard drives (SEDs); optional
f lash drives offer software-based encryption. Customers can
hot-encrypt their SED-based XIV systems nondisruptively,
in minutes.
●● ●
Exceptional rebuild speed: The XIV system can rebuild a
4 TB drive in less than an hour, even under heavy load, with
minimal impact on system service. The exceptional speed
results from performing the rebuild using all disks in the
system simultaneously and rebuilding the written data only.
●● ●
Preventive health measures, proactive self-healing: The
system monitors its components continuously, activating self- Intuitive display of three-site mirroring across three locations1
healing upon need and returning to full redundancy without
human intervention.
Designed for scalability with extreme
Smart maintenance and hot upgrades: XIV storage sup-
ease of use
●● ●

ports live maintenance, avoiding the need to plan downtime.

XIV Storage System is crafted for an intuitive user experience,
Disk and module maintenance take place when data is fully
designed to simplify management of Tier 1 storage environ-
redundant, avoiding human error. Nondisruptive system
ments across up to 144 frames with Hyper-Scale. The underly-
software (microcode) upgrades further enable uninterrupted
ing XIV architecture makes administrative tasks easy and
application services.
efficient, with little training or expertise required, and is at the
●● ●
Reliable backup and recovery: XIV storage uses host-based
core of the system’s capability to scale up and out. The system
application programming interfaces (APIs) to integrate
hardware easily scales in every aspect—as modules are added;
with backup and recovery software. It supports Microsoft
data is redistributed; and new resources such as capacity, cache,
Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) technology
flash caching (optional), processing power, host interfaces and
for backup and recovery of Microsoft Windows platforms.
bandwidth are employed.
XIV snapshots used with the advanced snapshot management
capabilities of IBM Tivoli® Storage FlashCopy® Manager
enable fast application-aware backups and restores. XIV stor-
age combines with IBM Tivoli Storage Manager to enable
near-instant, space-efficient snapshots with no perceivable
impact on application performance.

4
IBM Systems and Technology
Data Sheet

XIV storage is supported by an extremely easy-to-use graphical
user interface (GUI) integrated with Hyper-Scale Manager and
built-in management tools. On-the-go IT staff have the benefit
of automatic, real-time mobile device notifications,1 as well as
anywhere, anytime remote monitoring of system performance,
capacity and health with the XIV Mobile Dashboard, which
supports Apple iOS and leading Google Android devices.
Exceptional data economics
XIV Storage System is designed to be cost-efficient in
Advanced software features included
Enterprise-class functions are included with the XIV Storage
System software at no extra cost:
●● ●
Scalability and performance: Hyper-Scale feature family,
quality of service (QoS), data migration
●● ●
Continuity: Synchronous and asynchronous mirroring;
three-site mirroring featuring three concurrent, synchronized
copies of data;1 space-efficient snapshots
Security: Multi-tenancy;
­ 1 USGv6, IPv6, IPSec; data-at-rest
●● ●

every way: encryption

●● ●
Efficiency: Thin provisioning, autonomic data distribution,
●● ●
Simplicity: XIV users provision data simply by sizing vol- load balancing and disk/module rebuilds; space reclamation
umes. LUN mapping is drag and drop. Workloads are ●● ●
Integration, automation and virtualization: OpenStack,
ingested without the need for I/O analysis or performance IBM Cloud Storage Access, representational state transfer
tuning. Snapshots and test environments are created in (REST) API, VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V,
seconds and are differential, for greatest efficiency. Data IBM Storage Integration Server, Host Attachment Kits for
migration is fast and remote mirroring is easy and across IBM AIX®, Windows, Solaris, HP-UX, SUSE Linux
generations, aiding data-protection goals. Enterprise Server and Red Hat Enterprise Linux
●● ●
Business-friendly with feature f lexibility: The XIV System ●● ●
Management: Hyper-Scale Manager, industry-renowned
software license includes all functionality—with no hidden GUI, rich command-line interface, reporting tools, hot
costs—and is available for use at any time when the support- upgrades and automatic event notification
ing XIV Storage System product hardware is in place. In
addition, the XIV Cloud Storage for Service Providers prod-
uct empowers users with the flexibility to combine a robust
set of base functions with license-per-need features.
●● ●
­ ­
Flexible pay-as-you-go ­ acquisition: The IBM Advanced
System Placement program lets users purchase subsequent
XIV systems for only USD1 upon installation and pay the
balance when capacity reaches a predetermined threshold.
This highly flexible payment program helps organizations
more easily manage their growing data volumes and adopt
cloud storage solutions quickly with low up-front costs.
●● ●
Optimized footprint: Effective use of very high-density
drives reduces operational and environmental costs; space
reclamation through VMware, Microsoft Windows Server
2012/R2 or other tools helps users eliminate orphaned space,
lowering capital and power costs.

XIV Mobile Dashboard for on-­the-­go monitoring via Apple iOS and Google
Android devices

5
IBM Systems and Technology
Data Sheet
Effortless integration across host
platforms
IBM XIV offers easy integration with leading operating systems
and host platforms—cost-free.
●● ●
Operating systems: VMware ESXi, Windows, AIX, SUSE
Linux Enterprise Server, Solaris, HP-UX and IBM iSeries®
(via VIOS)
●● ●
IBM platforms: Linux; VIOS for IBM Power Systems™
(IBM System i® and IBM System p®); IBM PowerVM®;
IBM i5/OS® v6R1; AIX (and IBM AIX Multiple Path I/O
[MPIO] driver); IBM PowerHA® (HACMP™); and
IBM Storage Integration Server, which consolidates integra-
tion functions to deliver storage services from IBM storage
arrays
●● ●
Integrated storage solutions: Network-attached storage
(NAS) capabilities with IBM N-series gateway and IBM Scale
Out Network Attached Storage (SONAS), storage virtualiza-
tion across heterogeneous systems with IBM SAN Volume
Controller (SVC), and deduplication archiving with
IBM ProtecTIER®
●● ●
Concurrent multipath software support: Native operating
system multipathing solutions, Symantec Veritas Storage
Foundation dynamic multipathing (DMP)3 and EMC
PowerPath3
Enterprise-proven
­ solutions
XIV storage supports a range of enterprise solutions:
●● ●
Cloud and virtualization: OpenStack Cinder and Horizon
for cloud storage automation; RESTful API for customized
cloud solutions; IBM Cloud Storage Access, enabling self-
provisioning for XIV storage; deep integration with VMware
and Microsoft management systems and hypervisors; fully
compliant with other virtualization environments, including
Citrix XenServer, IBM z/VM® and VIOS for Power Systems
6
●● ●
Robust VMware solutions: Out-of-the-box
­ ­ ­ support for
the vCloud Product Suite (vCenter Orchestrator, vCenter
Operations Manager and vCloud Automation Center),1
vStorage APIs for Array Integration (VAAI) and VMware Site
Recovery Manager (SRM); IBM Storage Integration Server
adds a vSphere Web Client plug-in, allowing IBM-native
storage visibility and self-service provisioning; vSphere APIs
for Storage Awareness (VASA) Provider enables profile-based
storage provisioning and automated storage placement
●● ●
Efficient Microsoft solutions: Hyper-V and Microsoft
System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) integra-
tion for private clouds and virtualized environments; moni-
toring XIV with IBM Storage Management pack for
Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (SCOM);
Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2012 certi-
fied, enabling space reclamation; Microsoft Windows VSS
provider; Microsoft Failover Clustering agent; and XIV core
capabilities, enhancing Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft
Exchange and Microsoft SharePoint deployments
●● ●
Business applications: Consistent high performance for
IBM Notes®, Exchange, Solaris, SAP, SAS and healthcare
applications such as Epic
●● ●
Extended storage management: IBM SmartCloud®
Virtual Storage Center, IBM Tivoli Storage Productivity
Center, SCVMM, HP Storage Essentials and Symantec
Veritas Storage Foundation
Data protection and business continuity options:
●● ●
Supported backup solutions include Tivoli Storage
FlashCopy Manager, Tivoli Storage Manager, Symantec
NetBackup and CommVault Simpana InteliSnap; supported
disaster-recovery solutions include PowerHA, Symantec
Veritas Cluster Server (VCS), VMware SRM and Microsoft
Failover Clustering
IBM Systems and Technology
Data Sheet

IBM XIV Storage System (Model 2810/2812)—System specifications

General properties

Capacity per drive (Nearline SAS) 1 TB,* 2 TB, 3 TB or 4 TB self-encrypting hard drives (SEDs)
Number of disk drives (min/max) ­
72/180
Encryption All disk drives are SEDs. Encryption requires an external key management solution, such as Tivoli Key
Lifecycle Manager.
Performance features
Maximum number of CPUs 15 Intel Xeon Processor E5645
Maximum number of CPU cores 90 physical (180 logical cores with Intel Hyper-Threading technology)
Maximum memory Up to 360 GB (24 GB of memory per module)—1 TB, 2 TB or 3 TB capacity points
Up to 720 GB (48 GB of memory per module)—4 TB capacity point
­ ­
Maximum cache-to-disk bandwidth 480 Gbps
Flash caching (optional) Up to 6 TB (400 GB flash caching per module)—all capacity points
Up to 12 TB (800 GB flash caching per module)—4 TB capacity point
Note: When XIV encryption is enabled, the data on the flash drives is also encrypted.
Connectivity
Maximum number of ports—Fibre 24 (8 Gbps ports)
Channel†
Maximum number of ports—iSCSI 22 (1 Gbps ports) or 12 (10 Gbps ports)
over gigabit Ethernet
Physical features
Temperature 10°C – 35°C (50°F – 95°F)
Altitude (max) 2,134 m/7,000 ft
Humidity 25% – 80% noncondensing
Dimensions (height × width × depth) 202 cm × 66 cm × 120 cm (79.53 in. × 25.98 in. × 47.24 in.)
Maximum weight 1,041.5 kg (2,296 lb)
­
Clearance front/rear 120 cm/120 cm (47.24 in./47.24 in.)
Redundant power feed √
Input voltage 180 – 264 V ac at 60 A or 30 A (±10%)
Power usage See power usage table below
Host connectivity
Fibre Channel rates 8 Gbps
iSCSI rates 1 Gbps or 10 Gbps
­ ­
Capacity-on-demand configurations √
Warranty 1 and 3 year limited warranty, onsite service, same day 24×7

* System utilizing 1 TB per disk capacity

† Fibre Channel ports are capable of auto-negotiation

7
Additional specifications for IBM XIV Storage System
­ ­
(Model 2810/2812-214) :
Capacity and connectivity
●● ●

Number of CPUs and memory

●● ●

Power usage
●● ●

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2014

For more information IBM Corporation

Systems and Technology Group
To learn more about IBM XIV Storage System, contact your
Route 100
IBM representative or IBM Business Partner, or visit: Somers, NY 10589
ibm.com/xiv
­
Produced in the United States of America
May 2014
Additional online resources:
IBM, the IBM logo, ibm.com, System Storage, XIV, IBM SmartCloud,
●● ●
Advanced System Placement program for IBM XIV Tivoli, and Power Systems are trademarks of International Business
●● ●
SPC-1 benchmark results Machines Corp., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Other
●● ●
­ ­ benchmark results
SPC-2/E product and service names might be trademarks of IBM or other
companies. A current list of IBM trademarks is available on the web at
●● ●
2013 Microsoft ESRP benchmark results “Copyright and trademark information” at ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml
­ ­
●● ●
IBM Redbooks: XIV Storage System: Architecture,
Intel and Intel Xeon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel
Implementation, and Usage Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.
●● ●
IBM Redbooks: XIV Storage System: IBM Hyper-Scale Mobility
Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the United States,
and Usage
other countries, or both.
●● ●
IBM Redbooks: XIV Storage System in a VMware Environment
●● ●
IBM Redbooks: XIV Storage System: Host Attachment and Microsoft and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the
United States, other countries, or both
Interoperability
●● ●
IBM Redbooks: IBM XIV Storage System with the Virtual I/O This document is current as of the initial date of publication and may
be changed by IBM at any time. Not all offerings are available in every
Server and IBM i country in which IBM operates.
●● ●
IBM System Storage Interoperation Center (SSIC)
The performance data discussed herein is presented as derived under
●● ●
IBM ISV Solutions Resource Library specific operating conditions. Actual results may vary. It is the user’s
●● ●
Search for XIV on IBM Techdocs library responsibility to evaluate and verify the operation of any other products or
programs with IBM products and programs. THE INFORMATION
IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT ANY
WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT
ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND ANY WARRANTY OR CONDITION
OF NON-INFRINGEMENT. IBM products are warranted according to
1 Preview the terms and conditions of the agreements under which they are provided.
announcements provide insight into IBM plans and directions.
General availability, prices, ordering information, and terms and The client is responsible for ensuring compliance with laws and regulations
conditions will be provided when the product is announced. applicable to it. IBM does not provide legal advice or represent or warrant
2 For database-like workloads. All performance data contained in this that its services or products will ensure that the client is in compliance with
publication was obtained in an IBM lab environment under simulated any law or regulation. Statements regarding IBM’s future direction and
conditions and is presented as an illustration. Performance obtained in intent are subject to change or withdrawal without notice, and represent
other operating environments may vary, and customers should conduct goals and objectives only.
their own testing.
Actual available storage capacity may be reported for both uncompressed
3 For latest support details, check with the vendor. and compressed data and will vary and may be less than stated.

Please Recycle

­ ­
TSD03057-USEN-23