Features - Storage Innovations:

SGI'S NEW STORAGE SERVER IS OF SUPERCOMPUTER CALIBER

As reported by Gretchen Hyman. The SGI File Server, as it has been newly crowned, is based on SGI NUMAflex architecture, a modular computing technology, and uses the company's XFS filesystem to provide nearly unlimited capacity by scaling to more than 50TB (terabytes).

Designed for larger enterprises such as media and government entities, SGI's new product comes in two different models: the SGI File Server 830, which is an Ultra160 SCSI JBOD storage solution with 144GB of storage and 8.6TB single rack expansion; and the File Server 850, which is scalable to 50TB through multiple rack expansions, comes with 432GB of storage, and is designed for high performance file serving and hierarchical storage management.

For companies expecting the size and complexity of their data needs to expand significantly, the SGI File Server is said to deliver input/output bandwidth that scales incrementally for larger configurations, and according to the company, is well suited for the data management and distribution needs of applications such as medical imaging, computer-aided manufacturing, and satellite imaging.

The SGI File Server also allows for integration with Unix and Windows environments, making data available across multiple client platforms. According to the company, customers can manage and serve files over Ethernet to clients or servers via a Network File System for Unix or a Common Internet File System for Windows platforms.

SGI has made a name for itself over the past twenty years with a family of integrated data management products including multi-OS SAN (storage area network) solutions.

SGI recently provided Octane2 visual workstations for the 3D digital effects creators of Sony Pictures' "Spider Man." SGI's workstations, which are built for very high bandwidth graphics throughput, were initially used for digital effects in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and "Stuart Little 2."

SGI and Hitachi Ltd., also agreed earlier this month to jointly develop SGI's CXFS shared filesystem designed for SAN infrastructures, which enables multiple computers running different operating systems to directly access a single shared filesystem.

Hitachi and SGI will collaborate to extend the multiplatform capabilities of CXFS and increase support for multi-OS environments. Hitachi will also incorporate SGI CXFS into its own SAN solutions for data sharing.

SGI was also recently awarded the honor of occupying more spots among the Top 25 entities in the high-performance computing industry than any other company, according to research firm IDC in its newly released IDC Balanced Rating, a review of products from all companies competing in that sector.

Both versions of SGI's new File Server are available now.