Spectra Logic unveils data center tape storage connectivity innovation to improve flexibility and low costs.
Spectra Logic® has launched the Spectra® OSW-2400 Optical SAS Switch, a data center tape storage connectivity innovation. This solution, created to improve flexibility and lower costs, tackles the challenges faced by modern data center environments.
Extended Connectivity, High Performance, and Efficiency
The OSW-2400 switch employs active optical cables to support connection distances of up to 100 meters. This capability enables the extension of SAS fabrics across large data center floor spaces—up to 10,000 square meters (107,639 sq ft)—and facilitates connections between building floors or nearby structures. Organizations can now achieve greater deployment flexibility while simplifying connectivity between servers and tape storage systems.
By adopting a switched SAS fabric, the OSW-2400 eliminates the need for costly Fibre Channel infrastructure. Servers requiring access to tape storage beyond standard cable distances can now utilize optical SAS connectivity. This allows organizations to leverage lower-cost SAS tape drives without sacrificing performance.
The OSW-2400 switch complies with the Serial-Attached SCSI 4.0 (SAS-4) standard, delivering impressive specifications:
- Bandwidth: Up to 48 lanes operating at 22.5 Gb/s, resulting in a total bandwidth of 1.08 Tb/s or an aggregate data transfer rate of 108 GB/s.
- Compatibility: Supports SAS-3 tape drives, including LTO-9 and IBM TS1170 Enterprise Tape Drives, while ensuring backward compatibility with SAS-2 devices. Earlier-generation investments in LTO-6, LTO-7, LTO-8, and IBM TS1160 drives remain protected.
Advanced Features and Flexibility
The OSW-2400 switch offers advanced features like T10 zoning and port-to-port zoning. These capabilities allow for versatile configurations, including one-to-many, many-to-one, and many-to-many sharing of Spectra tape libraries. For larger deployments, switch cascades can extend connections beyond the limits of a single switch.
Nathan Thompson, CEO of Spectra Logic, highlighted the significance of the OSW-2400, stating that it simplifies operations, reduces costs, and enhances flexibility without compromising reliability and performance.
Key Benefits
The Spectra OSW-2400 Optical SAS Switch offers extended connectivity by using active optical cables to reach distances of up to 100 meters. This capability allows organizations to scale out their physical deployments, share resources across large spaces, and enhance overall deployment flexibility. By eliminating the need for expensive Fibre Channel infrastructure, the OSW-2400 reduces connection costs by as much as 70%, making it a cost-effective solution for acquisition, maintenance, and future upgrades.
The switch provides industry-leading performance, with each lane capable of 22.5 Gb/s, the highest throughput available in SAS technology today. The OSW-2400 features End Device Frame Buffering (EDFB) to enhance efficiency, optimizing bandwidth utilization when connecting slower devices. This functionality can boost data transfer rates by up to 50%, ensuring optimal performance in demanding environments.
Reliability and operational efficiency are the cornerstones of the OSW-2400. It includes hot-swappable dual power supplies and redundant cooling fans to ensure dependable operation and low energy consumption of just 50 watts. Its compact 1U short-depth design provides flexibility in rack placement, with options for front or rear mounting to simplify cabling and ensure airflow optimization. Simplified deployment options enhance the switch’s appeal, eliminating the need for specialized Fibre Channel expertise and enabling versatile configurations, such as one-to-many, many-to-one, and many-to-many topologies.
Spectra OSW-2400 Optical SAS Switch Specifications
The Spectra OSW-2400 Optical SAS Switch is designed for scalability and performance. It includes 12 x 4 wide Mini-SAS HD ports, each capable of connecting four devices, such as servers or tape drives. Configurations can vary from 12 SAS-4 lanes (three ports) to a maximum of 48 lanes (12 ports), accommodating a wide range of connectivity requirements. Both active optical and passive cables are supported, ensuring compatibility with various deployment scenarios.
To support organizational growth, the switch enables field-installed port upgrades in 12-lane (three port) increments. This scalable design allows up to 40 tape drives per switch, offering a flexible, future-ready solution. The switch is housed in a compact 1U short-depth rack mount enclosure, measuring 1.735 in x 17.31 in x 12 in. Its design accommodates both front and back mounting options, simplifying cabling while optimizing airflow and ensuring compatibility with existing data center layouts.
To ensure maximum reliability, the OSW-2400 is engineered with five nines availability and accommodates high-availability configurations. A second switch can be implemented in a dual-ported setup, guaranteeing uninterrupted access to servers and tape drives in case of a switch failure. The switch also features a 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet port and application software, providing out-of-band management capabilities for efficient administration.
Availability
The Spectra OSW-2400 Optical SAS Switch is available for delivery in Q1. For more details, visit Spectra Logic.
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