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New features in IBM Elastic Storage Server (ESS) Version 5.3

By Archive User posted Mon April 09, 2018 06:17 AM

  
I am glad to convey that ESS version 5.3 has been released on 26th March 2018, and being part of the development team I feel excited to share the details of what’s new in this release.

The IBM Elastic Storage Server is a modern implementation of software defined storage, combining IBM Spectrum Scale software with IBM servers and disk arrays. This technology combines the CPU and I/O capability of the IBM POWER8 architecture and matches it with 2U and 4U storage enclosures. This architecture permits the IBM Spectrum Scale RAID software capability to actively manage all RAID functionality formerly accomplished by a hardware disk controller. Critical rebuild times are relatively short.

IBM’s building block solution for high performance storage allows you to:
• Deploy petascale class high-speed storage quickly with pre-assembled and optimized servers, storage and software
• Experience higher performance and scalability with lower cost
• Rebuild failed disks faster with IBM developed de-clustered RAID technology

IBM recently announced a new release for the Elastic Storage Server (ESS) product line.
IBM Elastic Storage Server (ESS) version 5.3 for ppc64 architecture is composed of various components tested together for compatibility and correctness. Key components are RHEL, IBM Spectrum Scale RAID V5.0.0-1.1.1, and Power System Firmware.

ESS version 5.3 release is tested with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.3 with Security Advisory RHSA-2018:0399 (Kernel), RHBA-2018:0416 (systemd) and RHBA-2018:2925 (Network Manager).

New features and enhancements in ESS 5.3:
• ESS 5.3 now supports version of Spectrum Scale (5.0.0.1) that includes support for smaller subblock (Sub_blocks_in_Spectrum_Scale_50) sizes improve I/O performance and reduces fragmentation.
• The new deployment now provides support for single vdisk supporting dataAndMetadata vdisks / NSDs, apart from the existing option of separation of Spectrum Scale data and Spectrum Scale metadata in separate vdisks.
• Support for menu driven deployment using gssutils command.
• gssgennetworks support for IB bonding.
• gssdeploy improvements (PPC64LE discovery / genesis).
• Support for setting MTU (Maximum Transfer Unit - it's for IB network jumbo frame) in gssgennetworks.
• Security fixes.

ESS 5.3 Known Issues

#Softwaredefinedstorage
#ESS
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