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INFOBriefDell PowerVault 77XN

Network Attached Storage (NAS) Servers

Key Points

The Dell™ PowerVault™ 77XN storage servers includes the Microsoft® Windows® Storage Server 2003 operating system that is designed to provide added reliability and offers unlimited client access at no extra charge. Two versions of the operating system are offered. Standard Edition is targeted towards workgroups, departments, and small and medium businesses. Enterprise Edition provides high availability through cluster support for enterprise datacenters.

The Dell PowerVault 77XN storage servers have been created to offer cost-effective, plug and play storage for local area network (LAN) environments.

Dell Enterprise Systems Group October 2003

The PowerVault 77XN servers are Dell’s midrange network attached storage (NAS) servers, offering consolidated storage that is cost-effective and scalable, providing instant storage capacity in network environments.

PowerVault 775N PowerVault 770N

The PowerVault 77XN storage servers can help lower total cost of ownership (TCO) by providing rapid deployment, built-in multi-platform file sharing services and security, enhanced data protection and system availability, simplified zero-impact capacity upgrades, and lower up-front costs when compared to a general-purpose server.

The PowerVault 77XN NAS servers can connect to Dell™/EMC® fibre channel storage systems to help increase scalability and performance, and to help provide extended disaster recovery and business continuity options as needs and requirements grow.

For more information about PowerVault NAS and Dell/EMC SAN integration, see the NAS on SAN INFOBrief at http://www.dell.com/us/en/esg/topics/products_nas_san_pvaul_000_nas_san.htm

The PowerVault 77XN’s intuitive web-based management interface provides convenient, flexible, centralized administration of the PowerVault 77XN from remote locations with web access. The PowerVault 77XN also offers enhanced management capabilities that enable easy management of multiple devices and provide advanced status monitoring.

Snapshots are supported through VSS (Volume Shadow Copy Service), allowing end users to create and preserve volume images at discrete points in time. Shadow Copies on the PowerVault 77XN can be created at any point in time, or scheduled in advance.

The PowerVault 77XN storage server includes data protection software that allows efficient LAN-free backups of NAS volumes to be scheduled at any time, to direct-attached Dell PowerVault tape drives, autoloaders or libraries. Data protection software, from TapeWare or VERITAS (agent or full version) can be loaded to obtain seamless integration into existing network backup schemes.

Key Customer Benefits

The key customer benefits of the PowerVault 77XN NAS server are as follows: Easy to install

The PowerVault 77XN is a rapidly deployable storage solution. In as little as 15 minutes, the PowerVault 77XN can be set up and made available for data storage on the network. No additional configuration is required for other clients or servers on the LAN. Such a rapid deployment allows customers to “free up” valuable IT resources, which can help reduce overall costs.


* NOTE: Throughout this document, both tower and rack-optimized versions are collectively referred to as the PowerVault 77xN.

http://www.dell.com/us/en/esg/topics/products_nas_san_pvaul_000_nas_san.htm

http://www.dell.com/us/en/esg/topics/products_nas_san_pvaul_000_nas_san.htm

Intuitive Management from Anywhere The PowerVault 77XN includes an intuitive, Web-based management interface allowing administrators to manage one or more mid-range storage servers from any remote system on the network. As a result, no mouse, monitor or keyboard is needed to manage the NAS server and no management software installation is required on any system on the network.

Advanced Management CapabilitiesThe PowerVault 77XN offers enhanced management capabilities that enable easy management of multiple devices and provide advanced status monitoring.

Extremely Scalable CapacitiesAdministrators can add storage to existing storage servers without having to bring the servers down. This allows users the ability to conveniently access their data while storage is being added. The PowerVault 775N rack configuration provides 219GB of storage, and the PowerVault 770N provides 438GB of storage. Both scale to over 16TB with external PowerVault SCSI storage and to over 40TB with Dell|EMC fibre channel storage.

Highly Reliable Data and System AvailabilityPowered by Windows Storage Server 2003, the PowerVault 77XN offers world-class reliability. This includes features such as system file protection, which helps prevent required system files from being deleted. Also, VSS provides data protection with the ability to schedule snapshots to occur regularly, or at a specified period in time. PowerVault 77XN also includes redundant, hot-swappable power supplies, cooling units and hard disk drives, providing hardware reliability and data availability.

Built-in and Configurable Data Protection Options PowerVault 77XN includes built-in backup and restore software that helps enable data to be protected from loss, damage, or deletion. By attaching a qualified Dell tape backup devices directly to the PowerVault 77XN, backup jobs can be run LAN-free with no impact on network traffic. Third-party software products including VERITAS Backup Exec and Tapeware from Yosemite may also be manually configured to provide integration with existing network backup schemes.

Low TCOThe simplified architecture of dedicated servers is designed to result in fewer failures and easier fixes. This can lead to lower costs over the life of the PowerVault 77XN versus a general-purpose system deployed as a filer. Since any function not related to file serving has been removed from the NAS server, initial costs of the PowerVault 77XN are typically lower than a similar general-purpose server. Another benefit of the PowerVault 77XN is the ability to have unlimited seat licenses, which can help lower lifetime costs to the end user.


Background

Unlike server-resident storage that resides internally or attaches externally to a file server, Network Attached Storage (NAS) is a class of storage products defined by its direct connectivity to an existing network infrastructure, such as Ethernet. A NAS server is dedicated as a storage server, for serving files to users on a network. Unlike SANs that are optimized for block-level centralized network applications (such as Exchange, SQL, Oracle or IIS), storage servers are typically used for storing files associated with client-based applications (such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.). Typically NAS servers are used as a central repository for large, archived files, including graphics, images, digital photographs, and CAD/CAM. By consolidating files on a dedicated NAS storage server, management costs can be significantly reduced, and user accessibility to files is made easier through storage consolidation.A storage server is dedicated to — and optimized for — serving and storing data. Dell PowerVault NAS storage servers are designed for the primary purpose of providing file-serving capabilities within a networked environment. By implementing this functionality into server architecture, the following benefits can be obtained: Rapid deployment of storage anywhere on the network Simplified manageability from any system through a Web

browser Low TCO, including low acquisition, upgrade and life cycle

management costs File sharing in mixed computing environments Print services included with Enterprise Edition or as an

optional upgrade for Standard EditionNAS and SAN Users don’t have to choose between a NAS and a SAN solution – with the PowerVault 77XN, it possible to deploy a storage solution that is appropriate for an environment today, and can leverage emerging technologies from Dell in the future. By integrating a PowerVault 77XN NAS device with a Dell/EMC SAN, it enables users to further expand the capacity of the NAS device to over 16TB of data using SCSI drives, or up to 40TB with fibre channel drives. Also, the integration of NAS into SAN enables tape backup of the NAS device over SAN rather than LAN, which can help improve the performance and reliability of the backups. The marriage of Dell/EMC fibre channel storage with NAS storage is a logical next step to help improve NAS capacity, scalability, and high availability.


Product Description

PowerVault 775N 2U Rack ConfigurationThe PowerVault 775N is a 2U (1U = 1.75-inches) space-optimized mid-range network attached storage (NAS) server in a rack form factor. It delivers up to 438GB of instant storage that can scale up to 16TB with SCSI arrays or up to 40TB with fibre channel. The PowerVault 775N includes three PCI-X slots that allow flexibility when choosing network and device connectivity options required for each specific environment. Remote management capabilities are provided through an embedded ESM4. The PowerVault 775N also features dual 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet1 NICs and a 533 MHz Front Side Bus (FSB). Choose the PowerVault 775N storage server to give you instant space saving storage today, while providing scalability and flexibility for future needs.PowerVault 770N 5U Rack or Tower ConfigurationThe PowerVault 770N is a feature-optimized mid-range network attached storage (NAS) server in a 5U rack or tower form factor server. It delivers up to 876GB of instant storage that can scale up to 17TB with SCSI arrays or up to 40TB with fibre channel. The PowerVault 770N has six PCI-X slots and one PCI slot that can be configured to include network cards, PERC adapters or fibre channel host bus adapters. The PowerVault 770N also features a single 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet NIC and a 533 MHz Front Side Bus (FSB). Choose the PowerVault 770N storage server to give you expandable storage today, while providing scalability and flexibility for future needs.A range of processor and memory options allow the PowerVault 77XN to meet specific performance requirements. ProcessorsSingle or dual 2.4GHz or 2.8GHz Intel® Xeon™ processorsMemory512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, or 4GB DDR SDRAM with failover DDR memory support

1 This term indicates compliance with IEEE standard 802.3ab for Gigabit Ethernet, and does not connote actual operating speed of 1 Gb/sec. For high speed transmission, connection to a Gigabit Ethernet server and network infrastructure is required.


Set-upThe PowerVault 77XN is designed to enable rapid end user deployment. Because the PowerVault 77XN is pre-configured to user specifications, the time and effort to install this storage can be significantly reduced. The 77XN is designed to be “plug and go,” so that the entire set-up process can take as little as 15 minutes. Windows Storage Server 2003 for NAS incorporates Plug and Play functionality to automatically detect new hardware and other hardware changes. Also, adding storage does not require shutting down any other system on the network, or the network itself.RAID Data Performance/ProtectionThe PowerVault 77XN comes pre-configured from the factory with the internal drives configured as RAID 5. This can be reconfigured with either RAID 0 (disk striping), or RAID 1 (disk mirroring). Using external SCSI arrays (PowerVault 22XS), support is also provided for RAID 1(0) and RAID 5(0). Windows Storage Server 2003 OSThe PowerVault 77XN is powered by Microsoft® Windows® 2003 technology, leveraging Microsoft’s extensive engineering expertise. NAS servers combine characteristics from Windows Server 2003 that offers reliability, scalability and manageability with an advanced storage feature set, and an intuitive, browser-based user interface.The PowerVault 77XN provides support for Windows Server 2003 features, including Active Directory support allows administrators to efficiently

share and manage information about network resources and users. In addition, Active Directory acts as the central authority for network security, allowing the OS to readily verify a user’s identity and control his or her access to network resources.

Enhanced Distributed File System (DFS) simplifies locating and managing data on multiple network servers. DFS helps provide high data availability, name transparency, and flexible volume administration. With the Windows Server 2003 release, DFS has been enhanced to allow for multiple DFS root directories on each server. This means that it is no longer necessary to add an additional server for each additional DFS root directory.

VSS (Volume Shadow Copy Service) provides the infrastructure for creating high consistency point-in-time copies of single or multiple volumes. The service provides effective data protection to both system administrators and end users.


Using previous snapshots, Shadow Copies for Shared Folders (SCSF) allows end users to use the “Previous Versions” user interface (UI) to restore deleted or overwritten files (or whole folders of files) without the need for system administrator intervention. If a file is mistakenly deleted or overwritten, the user is empowered to manage their own files, recovering lost data and fixing mistakes without IT intervention which can reduce support costs and increase user satisfaction. Restored files retain the permissions and file preferences associated with the original files.

Windows Storage Server 2003, Enterprise Edition supports clusters with up to eight nodes for high availability with Fibre Channel. Clustering provides high availability for continued uptime in the event of a system failure. NAS clusters also can improve network performance by allowing high volume read/write requests to be balanced among the NAS systems. SCSI clusters support up to 2 nodes.

With the new VDS feature, Widows Storage Server 2003 supports online volume expansion to take advantage of additional space created on the storage system by expanding a logical unit.

Encrypting File Systems (EFS) allow administrators to store encrypted data on NTFS volumes. Data will remain encrypted even if the disk is moved to another machine.

Change Journal tracks changes made to files and directories on NTFS volumes. This allows applications like backup tools, indexing tools, and virus-scanning tools to read all file system changes without re-scanning the entire volume.

Disk quotas allow administrators to track or enforce storage limits on a per-user basis for a specific NTFS volume.

Advanced management capabilities ADS is a new framework that MS is using to provide multidevice (one-to-many) management for all Windows Server 2003 based operating systems. Using ADS, scripts can be created to administer large scale deployments of Windows servers. ADS is an optional add-on for Windows Storage Server 2003, Enterprise Edition available directly from Microsoft.NAS Status ReportingThe Windows Storage Server 2003 Web user interface (UI) is an HTML-based application that provides for remote, graphical user interface (GUI)-based administration of the storage server. The GUI provides administrators with a simple means by which to perform the most common tasks associated with Windows Storage Server 2003 administration. In addition, since Windows Storage Server 2003 is built on Windows Server 2003, all Windows management functionality is available on the storage server, including management via Microsoft Management Console (MMC) and Remote Desktop.


The Windows-powered SAK features system status information – OS version, memory size, total capacity, and high-level hardware information. Dell has developed extensions to the UI to simplify access system information and control NAS functions normally only available through terminal services or local KVM. For example, using Array Manager, administers can create and delete volumes, view disk properties, assign hot spares, and force disks online.Storage Management SoftwareUsing disks at or near their capacity can put a lot of strain on the system. In addition, adding more storage takes a great deal of time and money.Determining which types of files are taking up the most space and removing them can significantly increase free space on the disk. For example, if an administrator sees that users are storing unnecessary picture or music files on the appliance, the administrator can screen these files. Veritas Storage Manager enables an administrator to put quotas on directories and shares and generate storage reports. Available as a low-cost option at the time of purchase, in most installations this application pays for itself in IT management resources in a very short time.

Comparison to other Dell PowerVault NAS Solutions

The PowerVault family of NAS products offers easy-to-install and -manage storage and server consolidation -- see Table 1.Dell’s mid-range PowerVault 77XN NAS solution leverages all of Dell/ EMC’s SAN-based storage arrays. PowerVault NAS solutions can use both SCSI and fibre channel back-end storage arrays to store NAS data, which can help improve the ROI of both NAS and SAN solutions. The PowerVault 77XN can also perform LAN-less backups or snapshots within the SAN fabric to Dell’s powerful tape library solutions for fast, unobtrusive backups that help protect your valuable data with faster disaster recovery.Dell’s NAS family includes the following: PowerVault 725N – Fixed-capacity NAS solution -- pre-

configured storage that’s ready to go. PowerVault 770N – Ultra 320 SCSI or fibre channel NAS

solution available in a 5U rack or tower form factor for maximum expandability.

PowerVault 775N- Rack optimized SCSI or fibre channel NAS solution that features high performance Intel Xeon processors, and advanced management capabilities.


Table 1PowerVault NAS Product Comparison

Feature PowerVault 725N PowerVault 770N PowerVault 775N

Max. Storage (per device)

160, 320, 480GB, or 1TB

876GB (Scalable to 17.2TB with SCSI or up to 40TB with FC)

438GB (Scalable to 16.6TB with SCSI or up to 40TB with FC)

RAID RAID 0, 1, 5 RAID 0, 1, 5, 10, 50 RAID 0, 1, 5, 10, 50

Storage Technology Ultra ATA/133(EIDE)

Ultra 320 (U320) SCSI, fibre channel

Ultra 320 (U320) SCSI, fibre channel

Storage Expansion Slots

2 7 3

Internal Disk Speed 7,200 RPM, ATA 10,000 and 15,000 RPM, SCSI

10,000 and 15,000 RPM SCSI

Network Connectivity

Dual 10/100/1000 Single 10/100/1000 Dual 10/100/1000

Processor Single 2.0GHz Celeron®, 2.4GHz Pentium® 4, or 2.6GHz Pentium 4

Up to two Xeon processors 2.4GHz or 2.8GHz

Up to two Xeon processors 2.4GHz or 2.8GHz

Front Side Bus 400MHz 533MHz 533MHz

Memory 384MB, 512MB, 1GB, 1.5GB, 2GB, 3GB SDRAM

512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 4GB DDR SDRAM

512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 4GB DDR SDRAM

Multiple Server Management

MDM ADS (optional) ADS (optional)

Rack Size IU 5U rack or Tower 2U

Target ApplicationsThe target applications for the PowerVault 77XN include the following: Storage Consolidation

The cross-platform file sharing support built into the PowerVault 77XN helps to eliminate the need for organizations to dedicate large storage resources to any single server. Since the 77XN is not dependent on any host server, multiple Windows-, UNIX-, Novell-, and Apple-based clients can take advantage of a single, centralized storage repository on the same server.

Server ConsolidationConsolidating multiple Windows NT or Novell® file servers onto a PowerVault 77XN provides simplified operations with common processes and standard systems management.


Networked Storage Entry-pointSince the PowerVault 77XN can connect to Dell | EMC storage arrays, you can start with a NAS solution and then choose to consolidate your NAS and server storage into a SAN, without the need for special bridging devices. This helps you leverage your hardware investment and people resources.

Engineering, CADThe PowerVault 77XN NAS server provides cross-platform file sharing support for engineering applications such as CAD and computer software R&D.

Remote Office ServerFor organizations with remote offices that don’t have IT personnel, the PowerVault 77XN is designed to provide extra storage that can be installed quickly by non-technical staff. The NAS servers also include Web-based remote administration with a point-and-click graphical user interface (GUI), for management from a central location.

Software DistributionThe PowerVault 77XN enables administrators to store software updates or upgrades on the server, so that individual client users can perform their own updates or upgrades as needed. This can save administrators from having to upgrade software on each individual workstation.

Workgroup File Sharing/BackupThe PowerVault 77XN is an optimal storage device for a workgroup, as it is designed to reduce network traffic bottlenecks by serving large, frequently accessed files. This can alleviate file-serving traffic from the application server(s), which can result in better application performance over the network.

Imaging and Graphics Huge graphic files demand maximum performance that can only be achieved with a server that is optimized for storage services. The 77XN is an excellent choice for this purpose.

Online Data WarehousingThe avalanche of file servicing loads demanded by data warehouse applications can easily overwhelm general-purpose servers. The PowerVault 77XN is designed to handle the volume easily, making it the right solution for storage of digital music files and other high-consumption files.

Scratch ServersPowerVault 77XN is the perfect place to store data during a major server or client upgrade. Simply store user files on a PowerVault storage server during the transition to keep users productive.


Print ServersPowerVault 77XN includes Print Services with Windows Storage Server 2003 Enterprise Edition or as an option with Standard Edition. Since NAS systems include unlimited CALs (Client Access Licenses), Windows Storage Server 2003 is an ideal application for the PowerVault 77XN.

Features and BenefitsThe key features, functions, and benefits of the PowerVault 77XN are shown in Table 2.Table 2Key Features, Functions, and Benefits of the PowerVault 77XN

Feature Function Benefit

Special-Purpose Server The PowerVault 77XN is specialized for file serving and storage on a LAN, allowing file-serving capabilities to be offloaded from application servers.

By offloading file serving, the PowerVault 77XN can help the performance of general-purpose servers. Also, because NAS servers are tuned for this purpose, they require low administrative overhead.

1 or 2 Xeon 2.4GHz or 2.8GHz processors

The processor enables the storage device to become a server with a dedicated operating system for heterogeneous file serving.

The PowerVault 77XN is an intelligent storage device that can support clients using a variety of operating systems, and can operate on a variety of networks.

Configuration FlexibilityThe PowerVault 77XN is available with one or two processors, a variety of frequencies and a wide range of memory options.

The configuration flexibility of the PowerVault 77XN allows customers to choose a storage solution for their unique environments.

Optional PCI-X Slots The PowerVault 775N includes three optional PCI –X slots that can be populated with additional PERC cards, LVD/HVD SCSI cards or Network Interface Cards.

The PowerVault 770N includes six PCI-X slots and one PCI slot for maximum configurability.

Adding a PERC card scales storage capacity.

Adding an LVD/HVD SCSI card allows for the connection of tape devices for tape backup.

Adding more NICs improves the aggregate I/O performance of the server.



SCSI or Fibre Channel Disk Drives

The PowerVault 77XN can be attached to either external SCSI or fibre channel drives.

The PowerVault 770N features Ultra 320 SCSI drives.

The SCSI drives offer reliable, cost-effective storage with data transfer rates of up to 160MB/sec (U160) and 320MB/s (U320). The fibre channel drives feature high availability and data transfer rates of up to 200MB/sec.



RAID The PowerVault 77XN can be configured with RAID 0, RAID 1, or RAID 5.

The various levels of RAID offer performance benefits (RAID 0), or data protection (RAID 1, 5).

Scalability The PowerVault 775N provides up to 438GB of internal storage, and the PowerVault 770N provides up to 876GB of internal capacity. Both scale up to over 16TB with external SCSI drives and up to 40TB with fibre channel.

The PowerVault 77XN is designed to cost-effectively accommodate massive, unpredictable demands for storage without the hassles of downtime. The direct connection of up to eight PowerVault 22XS or Dell |EMC arrays provides modular, industry-standard storage that enables the customer to grow storage capacity incrementally.

Windows Storage Server 2003

The PowerVault 77XN is powered by Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2003.

The Windows operating system incorporates the latest in Windows Server 2003 technology to provide advanced features combined with low cost of ownership. The proven Windows OS also makes the PowerVault 77XN easy to deploy and manage with a specially designed Web user interface.

Automated Deployment Services (ADS)

Scheme to administer multiple NAS servers from a single location.

Auto-discovery and easy administration of multiple NAS devices

Status Reporting Robust software administration and monitoring tool.

Administrators can view real-time performance monitoring and CPU utilization helping them to fine tune their NAS server.

Service and Support

The Dell PowerVault 77XN NAS servers come with the following: Three-year limited warranty3 Three years of standard next business day parts replacement

and one year of next business day on-site4 labor. Pre-Failure Alert Program is available for PowerVault

systems with Dell SCSI or fibre channel hard disk drives and DIMM (memory) monitored by Dell-recognized system management applications.


Telephone technical hardware support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year

Extensive 24/7 E-SupportThe Dell PowerVault 77XN NAS has the following optional services: Installation Services Extended Next Business Day Service Same Day on-site 4-hour Response or Same-Day on-site 2-

hour Response4, which can be supplemented with 6-hour hardware repair services.

PowerVault Advanced Software and Configuration Support that provides expert technical phone assistance with the operation and configuration of Dell PowerVault software and hardware products.

3 For a complete copy of our Guarantees or Limited Warranties, please write Dell, USA, L.P., One Dell Way, Round Rock, TX 78682, attn. Warranties. For more information, visit http://www.dell.com/us/en/gen/misc/policy_010_policy.htm.4 Service may be provided by third-party. Technician will be dispatched if necessary following phone-based troubleshooting. Subject to parts availability, geographical restrictions and terms of service contract. Service timing dependent upon time of day call placed to Dell. U.S. only.

Dell, PowerEdge and PowerVault are trademarks of Dell Inc. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. NetWare is a registered trademark of Novell Corporation. Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer Corporation. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell disclaims proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. Copyright © 2003 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of Dell is strictly forbidden. For more information contact Dell.


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