EqualLogic switcher provides interesting details

SearchStorage has an account about a Dell customer that switched to 3PAR’s disk arrays because their Dell EqualLogic arrays couldn’t handle the performance requirements of their Microsoft SQL databases. The story itself isn’t that newsworthy, but there was one interesting detail in it:

Travis Vigil, Dell’s storage senior manager, responded to a request for comment with an email to SearchStorage.com: “The EqualLogic PS5500E and the new PS6500E must currently be deployed as a separate pool of storage from the other EqualLogic arrays, but it’s managed from the same management console as existing storage pools.

3PAR T400 and T800 arrays

I’m pretty sure this was taken a bit out of context; as far as I’m aware all EqualLogic arrays can be included in a single pool, but it is recommended to place each volume on similar models to avoid the slowest unit becoming the bottleneck. But still, it it a feature that is severely lacking in the EqualLogic range: self-optimization that automatically moves the most accessed data sets to the fastest storage. Also, apparently Dell forgot to offer their PS6000XV array; it uses 15.000 rpm drives that are more suitable for customers with high IOPS requirements.

EqualLogic PS6000 series

Still, it’s worth comparing multiple vendors when shopping for a new storage system; especially in this economy, every major supplier is attempting to lure customers by offering discounts or other niceties such as free installation services or no-cost trials. To give a you a head-start, here are the most important specs for EqualLogic arrays; the 3PAR F-series is, fortunately, much easier to understand.