SSDs worth it in the V400/7400? Why/what else?

[hdtvguy]

With regard to cache (and I know you'll love this hdtvguy), hp's answer is stay tuned. Supposedly adaptive flash cache is coming in 3.1.3 MU1

Heard that, but did not realize that was public info yet.

[Darking]

I heard that product mentioned quite a few times in here.

Could someone please explain what the idea behind adaptive flash cache is?

Why would i be looking forward to it?

[afidel]

My 2 cents: ssd's can be very helpful in desktop environments. What you want to do is use space efficient desktops where possible (linked clones), and provision your desktops out of the ssd tier. That way AO can more down the less important blocks, but you get the performance you need.

With regard to cache (and I know you'll love this hdtvguy), hp's answer is stay tuned. Supposedly adaptive flash cache is coming in 3.1.3 MU1

That will be huge =)
I guess I need to talk to my local contacts to see if I can get some NDA information on that since I've been thinking about Dell Compellent for our DR site due to the nature of the workload there not fitting the 3Par tiering model, with SSD cache and aggressive pricing to match Dell I just might stay an HP shop, certainly managing only one type of array is simpler.

[Schmoog]

Yeah I'm waiting for flash cache to be available before I add SSD's to my 2 7200's.

As far as it being public, HP has added it to the feature list:

http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/public/kb/docDisplay?javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.prp_ba847bafb2a2d782fcbb0710b053ce01=wsrp-navigationalState%3DdocId%253Demr_na-c02738093-3%257CdocLocale%253D%257CcalledBy%253D&javax.portlet.tpst=ba847bafb2a2d782fcbb0710b053ce01&sp4ts.oid=5044614&ac.admitted=1400265750566.876444892.492883150

Also, page 4 of this document references it being turned on in 3.1.3 MU1:

http://www8.hp.com/h20195/v2/GetPDF.aspx%2Fc02741257.pdf

I'm waiting with baited breath!

[mujzeptu]

I heard that product mentioned quite a few times in here.

Could someone please explain what the idea behind adaptive flash cache is?

Why would i be looking forward to it?

I am curious about this too.... Anyone have anything they can share (even if very high-level)?

[Davidkn]

It's highly likely that this will be announced at hp discover next week, so not long to wait now.

I've heard it's coming in 3.1.4 and will be read cache like netapps flash cache initially, with write capabilities coming later.

So using ssds to increase the cache size massively, effectively allowing you to keep a working set of data in there possibly.

I'm just speculating though, we'll find out soon enough.

Wonder if we'll hear the dedupe announcement next week too......

[hdtvguy]

My 2 cents: ssd's can be very helpful in desktop environments. What you want to do is use space efficient desktops where possible (linked clones), and provision your desktops out of the ssd tier. That way AO can more down the less important blocks, but you get the performance you need.

With regard to cache (and I know you'll love this hdtvguy), hp's answer is stay tuned. Supposedly adaptive flash cache is coming in 3.1.3 MU1

That will be huge =)
I guess I need to talk to my local contacts to see if I can get some NDA information on that since I've been thinking about Dell Compellent for our DR site due to the nature of the workload there not fitting the 3Par tiering model, with SSD cache and aggressive pricing to match Dell I just might stay an HP shop, certainly managing only one type of array is simpler.

3par is far superior to Compellent. We inherited a pair of new Compellents in an acquisition and while they are nice arrays I consider them more for the small to mid range markets. First you on scale to 2 controllers and volumes are owned by a given controller (like NetApp). I will take my V400s or 7400s or even my 7200 over Compellent any day without even thinking about it.

[MDPlatts]

Just noticed hp have reduced the prices of the 100, 200 and 400gb SLC/MLC SSD's for 7200 models by over 50% from when I last looked.

The 100 is down from 3335gbp to 1515 (55%), the 200 from 6185gbp to 2500 (60%) and the 400 from 8645gbp to 3085 (65%). Whether the same models for other classes have come down too I don't know.

Still quite expensive compared to similar SLC "home" products but much more reasonable - but probably the discounts arent as good.

[qbas81]

Hi,

My 2cents - I've recently took part in migration from array having 300 FC disks to 3Par 7400 with 150 disks (half NL, 24 SSDs) and for most VMware workloads latency has been greatly (from average 20 ms to less than 5 ms) reduced (with AO set up to 'cost' for VMware volumes).
There are some isolated latency peaks (up to 100ms) visible in VMware stats from time to time (few times a day), when data from NL disks are accessed, but so far no issues with applications were reported and overall performance feel improved.