HP ProLiant ML310 G3 Storage Server Administration Guide (WSS R2 version, March 2006)

1TheHPstorageserversolution
This chapter introduces some storage technology and describes the hardware and software that comprise
an HP ProLiant Storage Server and compares the major features of the models.
The HP ProLiant Storage Server products can be used in many types of comp uting environments, fro m
basic Microsoft
®
Windows
®
workgroups to complicated multiprotocol domains using Distributed File
System (DFS), N et work File System (NFS), File Transfer Protocol (FTP) , Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP),
and Microsoft Server Message Block (SMB). The corresponding varieties of clients that can be serviced
include any Windows, UNIX
®
,Linux,Novell,orMacintoshvariant.
The HP ProLiant Storage Server family of products includes enterprise class, as well as remote office or
small to medium business class solutions that provide reliable performance, manageability, and fault
tolerance. Each HP ProLiant Storage Server has been specifically designed to function as a network
attached storage server. Refer to the HP ProLiant Storage Server QuickSpecs (available on the HP web
site h
ttp://www.hp.com/go/storage) for a list of server hardware and software features. Click NAS,
select a storage server, and then select a link for the QuickSpecs.
Server id
entification
The model identifiers of ProLiant Storage Servers have a prefix of DL or ML. D L is the optimized density
line, and is mounted into a rack. ML is the maximized configuration line, and considered to be a
desktop server. The number following the prefix increases with the amount of features and c apability. For
example, the 100 series generally has fewer features than the 300 or 500 series storage servers. Each
major revision to the server is designated by a g eneration (G) designation. For example the DL100 G2 is
arack-m
ounted, second-generation, 100-series server.
The storage environment
Servers play an important role in the storage environment. They can connect into a storage area network
(SAN) infrastructure with cabling, hardware, and software, to manage the data flows moving in and out.
This section describes some of the technology involved in the storage environment.
SAN
ASANi
s a specialized, dedicated high-speed network. Servers and storage devices may attach to the
SAN. It is sometimes called “ the network behind servers.” Like a local area network (LA N), a SAN
allows an “any to any” connection across the network using interconnect elements such as routers,
gatew
ays, hubs, and switches. Fibre Channel is the standard SAN networking architecture, although
other network standards could be used. A decision to implement a SAN is usually a decision to develop
a new storage n etwork infrastructure.
NAS
Storage devices which optimiz e the concept of filesharingacrossthenetworkhavecometobeknown
as net work attached storage (NAS). NAS solutions use the mature TCP/IP network technology of the
Ethernet LAN. Data is sent to and from NAS devices over the L AN using the TCP/I P protocol. By ma king
storage d evices LAN addressable, the storage is freed from its d irect attachment to a specificserver,and
any-to-any connectivity is facilitated using the L A N fabric.
In principle, any user running any operating system can access files on the remote storage device. This
is done by means of a common network access p rotocol. In addition, a task, such as backup to tape,
can be performed across the LAN using specialized software, enabling sharing of expensive hardware
resources, such as automated tape libraries, between multiple servers.
HP ProLiant ML310 G3 Storage Server administration guide
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