Overview

The IBM XIV Storage System is a high-end disk storage server designed to provide high performance, scalability

Scalability

In electronics scalability is the ability of a system, network, or process, to handle growing amount of work in a graceful manner or its ability to be enlarged to accommodate that growth...

, and availability in disk storage

Disk storage

Disk storage or disc storage is a general category of storage mechanisms, in which data are digitally recorded by various electronic, magnetic, optical, or mechanical methods on a surface layer deposited of one or more planar, round and rotating disks...

. The system is a collection of modules

Modular programming

Modular programming is a software design technique that increases the extent to which software is composed of separate, interchangeable components called modules by breaking down program functions into modules, each of which accomplishes one function and contains everything necessary to accomplish...

, each of which is an independent computer with its own memory

Computer memory

In computing, memory refers to the physical devices used to store programs or data on a temporary or permanent basis for use in a computer or other digital electronic device. The term primary memory is used for the information in physical systems which are fast In computing, memory refers to the...

, interconnections, disk drives, and other subcomponents, laid out in a grid and connected together in parallel using either InfiniBand

InfiniBand

InfiniBand is a switched fabric communications link used in high-performance computing and enterprise data centers. Its features include high throughput, low latency, quality of service and failover, and it is designed to be scalable...

 (third generation systems) or Ethernet

Ethernet

Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....

 (second generation systems) connections. Each module has an x86 CPU and runs a software platform consisting largely of a modified Linux kernel

Linux kernel

The Linux kernel is an operating system kernel used by the Linux family of Unix-like operating systems. It is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software....

 and other open source software.

Traditional storage systems distribute a volume across a subset of disk drives in a clustered fashion. The XIV storage system distributes volumes across all modules in 1MB

MB

- Computers :* Megabyte , a measure of amount of information used, for example, to quantify computer memory or storage capacity* Megabit , a measure of amount of information* MacBook* Motherboard* Message board- File format ".MB" :...

 chunks (partition

Disk partitioning

Disk partitioning is the act of dividing a hard disk drive into multiple logical storage units referred to as partitions, to treat one physical disk drive as if it were multiple disks. Partitions are also termed "slices" for operating systems based on BSD, Solaris or GNU Hurd...

s) so that all of the modules' resources are used evenly. For robustness, each logical partition is stored in at least two copies on separate modules, so that if a part of a disk drive, an entire disk drive, or an entire module fails, the data is still available.

One can increase the system storage capacity by adding additional modules. When one adds a module, the system automatically redistributes previously stored data to make optimal use of its I/O

I/O

I/O may refer to:* Input/output, a system of communication for information processing systems* Input-output model, an economic model of flow prediction between sectors...

 capacity. One system can be configured for storage capacity from 27 TB

TB

-Music:*Tenor and bass, a score for male chorus*The Beatles, the English rock band, the most lauded and successful group in the history of modern music**The Beatles , the tenth album by the above band, also known as the White Album...

 to 161 TB.




The IBM XIV Storage system was developed at XIV, an Israeli company funded and headed by engineer and businessman Moshe Yanai

Moshe Yanai

Moshe Yanai is an Israeli electrical engineer . He is also a technologist and inventor, businessman, entrepreneur, aviator , investor, multi-millionaire, and philanthropist...

. The first customer system was installed in early 2005. IBM acquired XIV in December 2007.

External links

• http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/SG247659/wwhelp/wwhimpl/js/html/wwhelp.htm