EMC World 2011: Isilon debuts 15PB NAS single file storage system

LAS VEGAS: EMC has announced a scale-out NAS system designed to help enterprises manage the challenges presented by Big Data.

Key features of the EMC Isilon 108NL single file system include the ability to scale-out to 15.5PB, and provide enterprise grade protection, according to Sujal Patel, president of EMC's Isilon storage division.

The 108NL works in conjunction with Isilon's OneFS operating system and uses Hitachi 3TB drives to scale up and help enterprises deal with "the avalanche of Big Data", Patel explained.

The SmartLock software allows enterprises to protect large volumes of data in a secure environment. Each file is given a unique signature through which it can be tracked and verified. Once a file is locked, it cannot be changed or moved.

"This [SmartLock] capability today is used for enterprise compliance, to make sure that a subset of data is not tampered with," said Patel.

EMC is touting the Isilon 108NL as a hardware product, but it is just as much a software product, if not more so, explained Tony Lock, programme director at analyst firm Freeform Dynamics.

"The ease of management and use are supplied by the sophisticated administration software that allows users to exploit the system's capabilities," he told V3.co.uk.

"However, many IT managers are not aware of the architectural differences inherent in Isilon's storage platforms, and have yet to understand how these translate into potential business benefits to their organisations."

EMC will need to educate the potential user base to improve the ability of organisations to recognise how such products might fit into their operations, Lock added.

The Isilon 108NL file system and SmartLock software are available now. The 108NL has a list price of $123,500 (£75,250) per node and the SmartLock protection software starts at $1,950 (£1,185) per node.