Dell PowerVault MD2412 (2U) Low-cost Dense Storage

• 12 x 3.5” drives in 2U chassis
• 24Gb SAS4 host connectivity for newest servers only (older platforms use either 12Gb SAS or 24Gb SAS4 with autosensing)
• 24Gb SAS expansion connectivity
• Max Expansion Enclosures: 8
• Max Capacity (full expansion): 1.92PB

Dell PowerVault MD2424 (2U) Performance-optimized Storage

• 24 x 2.5” drives in 2U chassis
• 24Gb SAS4 host connectivity for newest servers only (older platforms use either 12Gb SAS or 24Gb SAS4 with autosensing)
• End-to-end 24Gb SAS expansion connectivity supporting 24Gb SSDs
• Max Expansion Enclosures: 4 (at launch)
• Max SSD Capacity (full expansion): 737.28TB
• Max HDD Capacity (full expansion): 230.4TB

Dell PowerVault MD2460 (4U) High-density Storage

• 60 x 3.5” drives in 4U chassis
• 24Gb SAS4 host connectivity for newest servers only (older platforms use either 12Gb SAS or 24Gb SAS4 with autosensing)
• 24Gb SAS expansion connectivity
• Max Expansion Enclosures: 2 (at launch)
• Max Capacity (full expansion): 2.4PB

(PowerVault ME484 5U EBOD will still be available as an expansion for PowerVault ME5 storage arrays.)

Dell PowerVault MD JBOD Management

With the new PowerVault MD JBOD enclosures, it’s important to know that a significant portion of engineering has gone into management. All the JBODs offer integration with Dell iDRAC for system management. Dell PowerEdge users have come to appreciate iDRAC as one of the most secure and robust applications to administer and manage lifecycle updates. IDRAC is designed for secure local and remote server management to simplify deploying, updating, and monitoring PowerEdge servers from anywhere at any time.

The PowerVault MD JBODs benefit from many of the PowerEdge features, making them a fully integrated component within the Dell server stack. PowerEdge server management with IDRAC can manage in-server storage and external DAS as a single interface, utilizing the 24Gb connectivity more efficiently.

The new MD enclosures will also support Storage Hardware Manager CLI (SHMCLI), an application allowing storage installers, developers, and engineers to monitor enclosures and HDDs or SDDs. CLI commands can be run from the system prompt on Microsoft Windows or a Linux terminal, and SHMCLI can display the status of objects in the system and device firmware.

The Dell PowerVault MD enclosures provide the option to include self-encrypted drives (SEDs) with drive-level encryption, allowing customers to prioritize drive security by ensuring their data is secure, even when a drive is removed. The SEDs also support instant Secure Erase, which permanently removes data when repurposing or decommissioning drives.

Dell PowerVault MD JBOD Performance

We tested the 2U PowerVault MD2424 unit connected to a Dell R760 with a PERC (future) H965e RAID card we are testing in the lab. This is a new PCIe GEN4 RAID card with an x16 PCIe interface. Fully saturated, the card’s limit is the interface itself, which can provide around 27GB/s.

We created two RAID5 flash groups with Samsung and KIOXIA SSDs and connected the JBOD to the PowerEdge R760 with dual SAS4 cables. This configuration, while not officially qualified yet, allows for dual paths between the server and both PowerVault controllers, optimizing performance and resiliency.

Dell PowerVault LoadGen

• 2 x Intel 6430 Processor (2.1GHz, 32-Cores)
• 128GB DDR5
• Dell PERC (future) H965e
• Windows Server 2019

Dell PowerVault MD2424

• 16 x 3.84TB KIOXIA PM6-R
• 8 x 7.68TB Samsung PM1653

For the performance testing, we looked at peak bandwidth and throughput. We used the FIO workload generator with 1MB sequential and 4K random profiles. Each profile used a 16-thread and 16-queue configuration.

Looking at peak bandwidth, we were able to fully saturate the PERC (future) H965e RAID card with a single SAS4 PowerVault MD2424 attached to the PowerEdge R760.

This worked out to 26.9GB/s read, and 9.4GB/s write in our sequential transfer test. This quickly shows the benefits of leveraging SAS4, matching the performance of the SSDs to the link between the PowerVault and PowerEdge Server.

A Storage Alternative for AI

How do JBODs fit into an AI environment? With the massive amount of content generated and stored, JBODs, like those in the PowerVault MD models, offer increased capacity and a much lower price point than a SAN. With JBODs, some configurations allow storage to be configured by combining multiple disk drives into a single logical unit. That takes away a JBOD’s ability to provide data redundancy or fault tolerance like RAID configurations, yet it can still be utilized in an AI environment for certain purposes.

There are various use cases for using Dell PowerVault MD JBODs in an AI environment.

• Data storage: An obvious one, but PowerVault JBODs can provide increased storage capacity by combining multiple disks into a single logical volume. As the industry grapples with attempting to tame AI, it still needs lots of storage. Creating large logical volumes allows for storing large datasets or training data used in AI applications.
• Data staging: Providing a less expensive solution for AI, PowerVault JBODs can be used for staging data before AI algorithms process it. By combining disks, you can create a larger storage space where data can be temporarily stored and accessed by the AI system. Software RAID can also combine disks.
• Data archiving: A typical JBOD use case is long-term data archiving. Not just for AI, but when large volumes of data need to be stored cost-effectively, JBODs fit the bill. JBODs allow you to utilize individual disks as separate storage units, accommodating large datasets without the complexity and cost of redundancy.
• Non-critical AI tasks: For non-critical AI tasks that don’t require high availability or fault tolerance, JBODs can offer a cost-effective solution that provides the benefits of increased storage capacity without the added overhead of RAID configurations.

Dell PowerVault MD JBODs also provide a cost-effective solution for server capacity expansion, easily integrating with existing or new servers. When independent storage scaling is preferred, they can deliver large amounts of data in the TB to PB range. However, it’s important to note that JBOD lacks the fault tolerance and redundancy offered by RAID configurations. Therefore, appropriate backup and data protection mechanisms must be in place to prevent data loss, especially for critical AI applications.

The ability to store and process massive datasets locally on a GPU server directly impacts the AI’s performance, as faster data access can lead to quicker training and inference times. This is particularly important for high-performance applications such as deep learning, where large volumes of data must be accessed rapidly. From an AI perspective, JBODs can offer a cost-effective and efficient storage solution that significantly enhances data accessibility for machine learning tasks.

JBODs can offer superior performance for specific workloads by avoiding network latencies associated with a SAN. JBODs provide a robust and reliable solution that can be easily integrated into existing systems. Their simplicity results in a hardened solution that “just works,” reducing the time and resources needed for configuration and management. Compared to SAN arrays, JBODs often present a more economical choice, as they do not require expensive hardware or specialized knowledge to set up and maintain.

Final Thoughts

The new Dell PowerVault MD JBODs provide customers with three new platforms to cost-effectively manage their constantly expanding data footprint. Unsurprisingly, PowerVault MD pairs extremely well with Dell PowerEdge servers; the Dell server/JBOD experience is fully integrated for onboarding and lifecycle management.

 

We experienced this firsthand while going through the process of bringing a PowerVault MD2424 with 24 SAS SSDs online for testing. Connecting the PowerVault MD2424 was truly plug-and-play, with all configuration and management conducted through iDRAC—an interface well-known to PowerEdge customers. iDRAC also takes charge of all lifecycle management tasks, allowing server admins to easily maintain both the PowerEdge server and PowerVault JBOD via the same interface.

While we found value in saturating the SAS cards during testing, flash JBODs won’t suit every organization. To address these diverse needs, Dell also launched the mainstream PowerVault MD2412 as an affordable 12-bay JBOD, along with the more robust PowerVault MD2460, which packs 60 drives into a 4U form factor. The new JBOD family supports a wide range of use cases, including unstructured file storage, backup/archive storage, and software-defined storage. However, we’re focusing on rapidly growing workloads like AI—these require fast local storage to keep expensive GPUs supplied with the data they need, making the new PowerVault JBODs an ideal fit.

 

Ultimately, the Dell PowerVault MD JBODs fulfill their purpose effectively, featuring the latest SAS4 connectivity and broad support across the PowerEdge portfolio to expand the servers’ storage capabilities. The technology is reliable and robust, and it will deliver business value for many years to come.

 

Beijing Qianxing Jietong Technology Co., Ltd.
Sandy Yang/Global Strategy Director
WhatsApp / WeChat: +86 13426366826
Email: yangyd@qianxingdata.com
Website: www.qianxingdata.com/www.storagesserver.com

Business Focus:
ICT Product Distribution/System Integration & Services/Infrastructure Solutions
With 20+ years of IT distribution experience, we partner with leading global brands to deliver reliable products and professional services.
“Using Technology to Build an Intelligent World”Your Trusted ICT Product Service Provider!