OWC announced a new workgroup storage sharing technology, called Jupiter, centered around the mini-SAS interface that many of us have come to know and use already with many RAID cards. Normally used to connect multiple storage devices to one computer OWC has flipped the equation, allowing multiple computers to connect to a single mini-SAS connected storage solution. Utilizing mini-SAS switching technology, the Jupiter will give users up to 24Gb/s connection speeds to shared storage instead of 1Gb or 10Gb using Ethernet.
OWC announced a new workgroup storage sharing technology, called Jupiter, centered around the mini-SAS interface that many of us have come to know and use already with many RAID cards. Normally used to connect multiple storage devices to one computer OWC has flipped the equation, allowing multiple computers to connect to a single mini-SAS connected storage solution. Utilizing mini-SAS switching technology, the Jupiter will give users up to 24Gb/s connection speeds to shared storage instead of 1Gb or 10Gb using Ethernet.
Jupiter was created as a means to allow a more affordable but more importantly a faster networked storage solution compared to Fibre Channel which is limited to 8Gb/s and is much more expensive. By using mini-SAS cables and a mini-SAS switch such as the LSI SAS6160, the Jupiter SAN can be shared between 20-30 users with speeds topping at 24Gb/s depending on hardware configurations.
Jupiter mini-SAS Specifications:
- Scalable pooled (shared) storage solution combines the simplicity of direct attached storage (DAS) and the performance of mini-SAS with a cost up to 5x less than fibre channel
- mini-SAS interface for speeds up to 24Gb/s—up to 3x faster than fibre channel
- Enterprise-level 3600TB (3.6 Petabytes) capacity with Enterprise-class drives and expander units
- Connects to a server or workstations using a single 24Gb/s cable
- Available in 4 and 8 bay towers; 8 and 16 bay racks
- Available as a standalone storage solution and as a RAID storage subsystem supporting RAID configurations 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60 and JBOD
- Hot-swappable redundant power supplies can be replaced without shutting down or restarting
- User-friendly management and monitoring application for checking Jupiter’s overall system status, performance, maintenance, and diagnostics
- Five-year warranty
Pricing on OWC mini-SAS Jupiter solutions will start at $3,995 and be available by the end of March.
