Fault-tolerant computing veteran Stratus has launched the most recent technology of its ftServer methods, which provide zero downtime for mission-critical functions, however lag behind the remainder of the market when it comes to the most recent know-how.
Stratus has introduced availability of the twelfth technology of its ftServer platform, claiming the methods supply as much as 25 % larger efficiency over the earlier technology because of extra CPU cores and expanded networking connectivity.
There’s only one snag – as an alternative of working the latest 4th Gen Xeon Scalable processors, which Intel introduced in January, the up to date ftServers seem like based mostly on 2nd Gen Xeon Scalable processors, now a number of years previous.
However it ought to famous that these Stratus methods are based mostly on an uncommon absolutely redundant structure which doubles up the processors, reminiscence and storage, and guaranteeing that new {hardware} meets the mission-critical reliability necessities can be harder than merely turning out a regular x86 field.
In apply, this structure signifies that every ftServer consists of two similar buyer replaceable models (CRUs), that are primarily separate Intel-based server nodes that run in lockstep in order that if one fails, the opposite continues working.
The twelfth technology ftServers comprise 4 fashions; the 6920, 6910, 4920 and 2920, configured with 10 as much as 44 cores in every CRU. The 2920 is a single-socket design that targets distant places of work and department places of work, whereas the rest are all dual-socket methods, with the 4920 focusing on medium-sized amenities.
The 6920 is the high-end system configuration meant for data-intensive and transaction-intensive workloads, together with funds processing, but in addition AI and ML functions, Stratus stated.
This may be configured with as much as 1280GB of DDR4 reminiscence and as much as 8 SAS drives per CRU, with as much as 4 U.2 format NVMe SSDs an choice. Every CRU additionally has two gigabit Ethernet ports and two 10Gbit ports, plus a ten/100 administration port. Full specs will be discovered on the Stratus web site.
Though not the most recent know-how, Stratus touts these methods as the corporate’s strongest ftServer methods but. “With this launch, we’re supporting the present and future compute wants of our clients,” stated Stratus veep of technique and enterprise line administration Jason Andersen.
It provides assist for VMware vSphere 7.0, for instance, though vSphere 8.0 is now out there.
Andersen claimed that the brand new packing containers supply extra versatility and efficiency for the rising calls for of quite a lot of functions, from transaction and cost processing to industrial automation.
Stratus states that its redundant structure means there is no such thing as a interruption in processing, or lack of efficiency or knowledge integrity if a element fails. Not like a high-availability cluster, an ftServer will proceed to operate whereas any situation is being resolved, it claims.
The corporate cites 99.999 % uptime or higher for its methods, or lower than 5 minutes of downtime yearly on common. Stratus stated its platforms are backed by buyer providers that embody 24x7x365 monitoring and administration providers through a safe, non-public community, whereas extra providers supply entry to “availability specialists” for customized utility growth and infrastructure design session.
Virtualization drives demand for ftServers
Nevertheless, whereas this type of redundant system was important previously for organizations working mission-critical workloads, there may be now competitors from datacenter platforms reminiscent of VMware, which gives excessive availability assist through its skill emigrate digital machines to a brand new host server within the occasion of a {hardware} failure, for instance.
Omdia chief analyst Roy Illsley agreed, telling us that trendy demand for this kind of server is proscribed.
Nevertheless, he added that with the rise of edge computing, such redundant methods might change into extra related, particularly in conditions the place there could also be a single server put in in a distant or tough to entry location.
“I feel it is going to be related for these deployments the place solely a single server is put in and the connectivity is poor – that means safety by replication to a different web site is just not dependable. Past that I feel it’s a specialist market,” he stated.
These ftServer fashions are unlikely to be low cost as effectively. The corporate has not quoted any costs for the brand new methods, however earlier generations value within the vary of tens of 1000’s of {dollars}. ®
