Marketing description

Hewlett Packard's MSA P2000 family of storage arrays features P2000 G3 arrays with the latest 8 Gb Fiber Channel, 6 Gb SAS, 10GbE iSCSI connected models, and an iSCSI model with four 1 Gb iSCSI ports per controller. The arrays are designed for entry-level customers and feature the latest in functionality and host-connect technology while offering excellent price/performance. They are ideal for companies with small budgets or limited IT expertise, and also larger companies with departmental or remote requirements. Each solution is designed to be easy to deploy, to be secure, along with low management costs, while driving rapid return on investment through efficient storage consolidation.
The MSA P2000 G3 arrays are 2 U storage area network (SAN) or direct connect solutions (OS and protocol dependent) offering a choice of five controllers - two FC, one SAS, one 10GbE iSCSI and the newest model features a four port 1 Gb iSCSI. The first Fiber Channel controller is a high-performance, 8 Gb dual port model. The second offering is a unique dual-purpose Combo controller with two 8 Gb Fiber Channel ports with the addition of two 1 GbE iSCSI ports. The third controller choice is 6 Gb SAS with four ports per controller. There is also the addition of a two port 10 Gb iSCSI, while the latest controller introduction features four 1 Gb iSCSI ports per controller. Whatever the situation calls for, the P2000 G3 line-up has the right solution.
The MSA P2000 G3 SAS is the follow-on product to the MSA2000sa G2, adding the 6 Gb SAS technology to the four host ports per controller. The P2000 G3 SAS array is designed for directly attaching up to four dual-path or eight single path rack servers. SAS array support for BladeSystems utilizes the HPE 6 Gb SAS BL Switch.
The MSA P2000 G3 10 GbE iSCSI brings the very latest in high-performance host connection with technology generally found only in higher priced arrays. The bandwidth it provides in conjunction with server consolidation is highly advantageous in shared storage configurations. Array connection to 10 GbE switches that are in turn connected to 1 GbE NICs is commonplace. Directly attached server support requires the server units to have 10 GbE NICs.
Rounding out the controller choices is the MSA P2000 G3 iSCSI controller featuring four 1 Gb iSCSI Ethernet ports, double the number of the G2 model. This allows an array that keeps the price of the components, particularly the interconnects, low while markedly increasing the performance capabilities.
MSA P2000 G3 model supports hot plug replacement of redundant controllers, fans, power supplies, and I/O modules. Hot add of expansion enclosures is also supported.
The controller-less MSA P2000 chassis is able to simultaneously support enterprise-class SAS drives, SAS Midline, and archival-class SATA Midline drives. Either chassis can have one or two matching P2000 G3 controllers (same protocol) and are available with AC or DC power supplies.

Key selling points

• Ease of management featuring browser-based out-of-band access
• This allows a department or small company to effectively handle growing storage requirements, with the aid of an intuitive GUI to administer the unit with a minimum of complexity
• Ideal for local or remote installations
• Features a wide variety of drives: enterprise-class SAS, SAS Midline, and archival-class SATA Midline in either P2000 LFF 3.5-inch or HPE ProLiant SFF 2.5-inch drives.
• Battery-free cache backup with super capacitors and compact flash
• Vdisks can be spanned across multiple enclosures