Pirus switch eases multivendor storage control

ACTON, MASS. - Start-up Pirus Networks launched a storage switch last week that promises to help businesses consolidate mixed storage devices and servers under a single management interface and speed access to stored data.

The company announced its Storage Utility Switch PSX-1000, which lets block-based storage-area network (SAN), file-based network-attached storage (NAS) and server-attached storage data be managed together.

The PSX-1000 connects to the network and servers via its Ethernet or iSCSI connectors and via Fibre Channel, SCSI or iSCSI to storage devices. Key to and included with the PSX-1000 is a variety of management software - ServFlex File Services, Web- and command-line interface PirusView management software and Secure Virtual Storage Domain provisioning software, which lets groups of storage be securely managed on a domain basis. ServFlex File Services is the technology that allows for the bundling of different storage devices. The PSX-1000 then acts as a traffic cop, controlling access and directing data to its appropriate destination.

It is this ability to mix, match and manage multiple storage types that makes the Pirus box valuable to Worcester Polytechnic University in Massachusets. "We have 10 Linux servers, each with its own storage providing file, mail and Web data," says Bob Brown, a manager of computing facilities, who manages the storage attached to each of those servers separately. "The Pirus switch makes the devices attached to it look like a single, large disk that can be managed as a large pool of storage.

"It makes the storage accessible to any user or server," says Brown, who adds he easily can add on any type of storage independent of the server operating system in the future. "With the Pirus box, you could add SAN arrays, [Just a Bunch of Disks], quite a number of different configurations. It adds more flexibility and easy reconfigurability."

According to Jamie Gruener, an analyst with The Yankee Group, switches such as the PSX-1000 represent the next generation of storage virtualization and NAS/SAN convergence devices.

"A lot of customers today are looking for ways to better leverage their IP [and Fibre Channel] networks and storage to manage and perform a variety of functions," Gruener says. "[The Pirus switch] has elements of virtualization, SAN/NAS convergence and, longer term, an aggregated platform for IP and Fibre Channel. [With it], you are looking at storage management and virtualization and having a switching architecture in a single product that makes data access faster and more intelligent."

Vendors such as Maranti Networks, Rhapsody and Invio are working on devices that combine the ability to communicate with IP and Fibre Channel networks. Pirus' switch also competes with virtualization vendors such as DataCore and FalconStor.

The Pirus switch, which holds 12 multiprotocol blades, is fully redundant with hot-swappable and pluggable power supplies and fans, and can be upgraded easily through the addition of extra single-purpose blades as new storage services are needed.

The PSX-1000 is available now starting at $85,000 for a configuration that can attach four servers. Each PSX-1000 can attach to up to 12 servers.