Chapter 1: Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform N400, N600 Hardware Overview; Block Configuration - Hitachi VSP N400 Hardware Reference Manual

Chapter 1: Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform
N400, N600 hardware overview
Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform N400, N600 are modular, rack-mountable, all-flash arrays
that deliver high performance, high reliability, and flash-accelerated scalability.
The storage system contain dual controllers, each controller contains its own processor, dual
in-line cache memory modules (DIMMs), cache flash memory (CFM), battery, fans and iSCSI
and Fibre Channel I/O modules. Each controller also has an Ethernet connection for out-of-
band management. If the data path through one controller fails, all data drives remain
available to data hosts using a redundant data path through the other controller.
The storage system can be equipped with embedded network-attached storage (NAS)
modules. The NAS modules provide file access through CIFS and NFS protocols and block
access by using iSCSI protocols.
All storage system models allow defective drives to be replaced without the interruption of
data availability to hosts. A hot spare drive can be configured to replace a failed drive
automatically, securing the fault-tolerant integrity of the logical drives. Self-contained,
hardware-based RAID logical drives provide maximum performance in compact external
enclosures.
Essential hardware components are implemented with a redundant configuration so that the
storage system can remain operational if a component fails. Adding and replacing
components, along with firmware upgrades, can be conducted while the storage system is
active.

Block configuration

A storage system configured for block-level storage provides the ability to access and
provision raw storage volumes using protocols such as Fibre Channel and iSCSI.
A block configuration consists of the following:
Two controllers
■
One or more drive trays
■
Optional service processor (SVP)
■

Chapter 1: Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform N400, N600 hardware overview

VSP N400, N600 Hardware Reference Guide 12