Datasheet

9
Technology Overview
Xsan
File System Capabilities
Xsan features enterprise-class SAN capabilities that meet your organization’s require-
ments for data consolidation and fast, shared access to storage volumes. Take a closer
look at these powerful features.
Cluster File System
Xsan is a 64-bit cluster file system that provides concurrent data access over high-
speed Fibre Channel to multiple systems on the network. For better performance
and higher availability, you can pool storage across multiple RAID devices, and each
Xsan client can use this centralized data as if it were directly connected. Cluster file
systems of this class include SGI InfiniteStorage Filesystem CXFS and VERITAS Storage
Foundation Cluster File System.
Support for 2PB files and volumes
Xsan on Mac OS X v10.4 “Tiger” lets your users share multiple files and volumes; each
can be as large as 2PB, or more than 3 months’ worth of uncompressed 1080i high
definition (HD) video at 30 frames per second. Xsan supports billions of files per
volume, with each metadata controller hosting multiple volumes at the same time.
File sharing over Fibre Channel
Xsan storage networking eliminates the bottlenecks of traditional network file servers
that use Gigabit Ethernet and that are not fast enough to transfer dense formats
such as HD video. Fibre Channel gives you a 2Gb-per-port connection for increased
data transfer and can be used with Fibre Channel multipathing for greater aggregate
throughput. This is perfect for multiple editors working on a video project or a com
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pute cluster that needs fast data access for maximum utilization of processing power.
File-level locking
Fine-grained file-level locking enables simultaneous access to shared files. All clients
can access all the files on the volume, but only the client that has read/write privileges
can edit a locked file. This contrasts with volume-level locking, which enables only one
computer at a time to write to an entire volume. File-level locking provides enormous
productivity advantages in post-production workflows where multiple editors are
using a single large file.
Bandwidth reservation
Xsan includes easy-to-use APIs that enable developers and administrators to prioritize
throughput for one system on the SAN or for a mission-critical application. This is ideal
for bandwidth-intensive operations, such as capturing, or ingesting, uncompressed
HD video.