I'm working on upgrading our virtualization setup from a Dell M1000e to possibly four R640s (we're a non-profit, so going for used gear). My task is to select the storage solution. Should I go for DAS SAS storage like the MD3420, or an iSCSI setup with EqualLogic? We predominantly use Windows servers with Hyper-V for both user VMs and some internal services, including two Domain Controllers. Any insights or recommendations would be greatly appreciated since I'm still getting my head around systems planning.
1 Answer
For smaller to mid-sized setups, I'd say DAS is usually the way to go. It's more straightforward and cost-effective, plus it generally offers better performance in those scenarios. But if you're eyeing something larger with high availability needs, iSCSI SAN definitely takes the cake. It's great for live migrations and shared storage.
The MD3420 has dual controllers with 8 SAS in and 4 SAS out ports, and you can cluster them for high availability. Unless you absolutely need 12Gbit throughput, I would suggest iSCSI for its flexibility, especially if you have 10gig connections.