Technical write UP For Supply and Implementation of

Storage system
Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................... 2
Storage area network (SAN) solutions...........................................................................................3
IBM SAN Solutions......................................................................................................................... 4
Components in an IBM SAN.......................................................................................................4
 Servers (Hosts)............................................................................................................... 5
 Host Bus Adapter (HBA).................................................................................................5
 SAN Switches..................................................................................................................7
 Storage Devices..............................................................................................................9
What is flash storage?................................................................................................................9
Types of flash memory and storage.......................................................................................9
IBM FlashCore Technology.......................................................................................................10
IBM FlashSystem...................................................................................................................... 11
IBM FlashSystem 7300 and its Enclosure overview..................................................................13
IBM FlashSystem 9500 enclosures overview............................................................................19
IBM SAN benefits..................................................................................................................... 19
Conclusion................................................................................................................................... 20

Introduction
ALTA has been a prominent IT distributor in Ethiopia for many years, representing top global
technology companies like IBM, Oracle, Dell, and others. With a solid track record of success,
ALTA has played a pivotal role in transforming the IT landscape in Ethiopia by providing
cutting-edge technology solutions to businesses across various industries. As an authorized
distributor, ALTA delivers a broad range of products, from high-performance servers and storage
systems to advanced cloud solutions, ensuring that Ethiopian enterprises have access to the best
and most innovative technology available globally.

Figure: ALTA Product Offerings from Leading Vendors: IBM, Oracle, Dell, Cisco, and More

One of ALTA's key differentiators is its team of highly skilled professional engineers who bring
extensive expertise and hands-on experience to every project. This team has been integral to
ALTA's ability to deliver successful IT solutions tailored to the unique needs of Ethiopian
businesses. ALTA’s engineers possess deep technical knowledge across a wide spectrum of IT
domains, including storage, networking, data management, and cloud infrastructure, which
enables them to provide customized, robust solutions that optimize business performance.
excellence.

Storage area network (SAN) solutions

A Storage Area Network (SAN) is a high-speed, dedicated network that allows multiple servers
to share access to storage devices, offering centralized storage management and enhanced
performance. SANs are used to improve data protection, disaster recovery, and application
performance in enterprise environments.

 SAN typically uses the following protocols to facilitate connectivity between the hosts and
the SAN solution:

 SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface)

 ISCSI (Internet Small Computer Systems Interface)

 Fiber Channel

Companies like IBM, Dell EMC, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and NetApp actively provide SAN
solutions. While SAN also supports redundancy options such as RAID, it goes beyond simple
RAID configurations and supports multi-array RAID, caching, and even inbuilt disaster recovery
and backup options.

Figure: Enterprise SAN architecture

IBM SAN Solutions
IBM offers a range of SAN products, mainly built on Fibre Channel (FC) and NVMe over
Fabrics (NVMe-oF).
They usually involve:

 IBM SAN Switches (from Broadcom/Brocade)

 IBM Storage Systems (e.g, FlashSystem)

 IBM Spectrum Storage Software (management, replication, backup)

Components in an IBM SAN

In IBM's infrastructure solutions, several key components work together to deliver high-speed,
resilient, and scalable storage connectivity. This section details each major component and its
role within the SAN ecosystem.

 Servers (Hosts)
Servers in a SAN act as the computing layer that requires fast, reliable access to large amounts of
storage. These servers do not store critical data locally; instead, they access shared storage pools

over the SAN, which improves scalability and simplifies management.

Figure: IBM Power System S812L and S822L

 Host Bus Adapter (HBA)

A Host Bus Adapter (HBA) is a specialized network interface card (NIC) that connects a host
system, such as a server, to a storage or network device, typically within a Storage Area
Network (SAN) fabric. Unlike standard Ethernet NICs, HBAs are specifically designed for Fibre
Channel (FC) or NVMe-over-FC traffic, delivering high throughput and low latency. In addition
to providing connectivity, an HBA offloads input/output (I/O) processing from the host's
microprocessor, improving overall system performance.

HBAs are often referred to as "disk channels" when paired with disk subsystems, and the device
itself is commonly called an HBA card. They are usually characterized by the interconnect
technology they support, along with attributes such as speed, port count, and system interface.
Most HBAs are designed to plug into the host's Peripheral Component Interconnect Express
(PCIe) slots, although other form factors, such as mezzanine cards for blade servers, are also
available.

Some of the Recommended Vendors for HBAs are :

 Emulex (Broadcom)
 QLogic (Marvell)

Figure: Emulex (Broadcom) HBA

Figure: Broadcom Emulex Lpe35002-M2 Gen 6 32GB Hba Card Dual-Port FC

Those HBA as are:

 Dual-port or quad-port options for redundancy

 Speeds of 16 Gbps, 32 Gbps, 64 Gbps (Fibre Channel)
 Offloads SAN traffic from the server CPU
 Supports zoning and fabric login protocols

 SAN Switches

A Storage Area Network (SAN) switch is a specialized networking device used to connect
servers to shared storage devices in a SAN environment. Its primary function is to move
storage data traffic, enabling high-speed data transfer between servers and storage
pools. SAN switches can be used to build high-speed storage networks, decouple storage and
hosts, and provide redundancy in case of path failures.
IBM SAN Switches are divided as

 Entry-Level: SAN switches that are designed for smaller environments or organizations
just starting out with Storage Area Networks (SANs).
 Figure: IBM SAN24B-6 (24-port, 32Gbps Fibre Channel switch)

 Mid-Range: These are designed for larger or growing environments that need higher
performance, more scalability, and advanced features compared to entry-level models.

Figure: IBM SAN64B-6 (64-port)

 Enterprise: Those are designed very large-scale, mission-critical environments (e.g.,

large enterprises, financial services, cloud data centers) where maximum availability,
performance, and scalability are required.
 Figure: IBM SAN256B-6 Director-class switches

 Storage Devices
Storage devices are the repositories of enterprise data, providing high-speed, low-latency
access to block-level storage resources.

IBM offers a comprehensive portfolio of storage solutions designed to meet the needs of
businesses ranging from small enterprises to global corporations. IBM storage systems support a
broad set of applications, including mission-critical workloads, artificial intelligence (AI), data
analytics, hybrid cloud environments, and data protection against cyber threats. These solutions
are built with advanced features such as AI-driven management, end-to-end NVMe technology,
multi-cloud integration, and cyber-resilient architectures.
What is flash storage?
Flash storage is a solid-state storage technology that uses flash memory chips for writing and
storing data, known as input/output operations per second (IOPS).It can achieve high-speed
response times (microsecond latency), compared to hard drives with moving components or
memory sticks.

Types of flash memory and storage

 SSD flash drive: With a solid-state disk (SSD) flash drive you store data using flash
memory. An SSD has advantages over a hard disk drive (HDD). Hard disks have an inherent
latency, caused by mechanical components.
 NVMe Storage:
Non-volatile Memory Express (NVMe) is an interface used to access flash storage over a
peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) bus. It is an extremely fast protocol that is
well suited for artificial intelligence (AI) and real-time applications. It reduces I/O overhead
between CPUs and storage, resulting in significant throughput improvements.

 Hybrid flash storage

Hybrid flash storage uses a mix of SSDs and HDDs, providing a balanced infrastructure for a
range of workloads. Hard drives are an inexpensive technology, well suited for large files and
data backups. Where high throughput and low latency are needed, data can be moved to SSDs
and flash arrays.

IBM FlashCore Technology

IBM FlashCore Modules (FCM) are advanced solid-state technology storage solutions designed
to deliver unparalleled performance and reliability for enterprise data systems. It leverages PCI
Express (PCIe) attachment and the NVMe command set to deliver ultra-fast, low-latency storage.

Figure) PCI Express (PCIe) attachment and the NVMe

This combination has revolutionized enterprise storage, providing a more powerful, secure,
and efficient alternative to traditional NVMe SSDs by integrating hardware-accelerated
compression, always-on encryption, and advanced telemetry

Figure IBM FlashCore technology

IBM FlashSystem
IBM FlashSystem is a collection of high-speed, all-flash and hybrid flash storage solutions
designed to streamline IT operations, support data modernization efforts and deliver unmatched
value and price performance.

IBM offers different FlashSystem series

A) IBM FlashSystem 5000 Series: A 2U Storage systems are designed specifically to address
entry enterprise workloads. It includes ( IBM FlashSystem 5010, 5015, IBM FlashSystem
5030 ,5035 and 5045)

System hardware
Each FlashSystem 5000 storage system consists of a set of drive enclosures. The control
enclosure contains disk drives and two node canisters. Expansion enclosures contain disk
drives and two expansion canisters (modular hardware component).

Figure 1. Front view of the control enclosures

B) IBM FlashSystem 5200: the IBM FlashSystem family of leading-edge storage systems
offers the same levels of functionality as other family members – but in an efficient smaller
form factor which is 1U that enables enterprises to start with a very modest initial storage
investment
 Figure2. 1U IBM FlashSystem 5200 hardware

The IBM FlashSystem 5200 system features the following types of enclosures: A control
enclosure manages your storage systems, communicates with the host, and manages interfaces.
In addition, it can house up to 12 NVMe-capable flash drives. These drives can be industry
standard NVMe types or the exclusive IBM FlashCore Module (FCM) NVMe type and up to 12
optional Storage Class Memory (SCM) drives. An expansion enclosure increases the available
capacity of an IBM FlashSystem 5200 cluster.

Figure 3.IBM

FlashSystem 5200 control enclosure showing the front and 3/4 ISO view

IBM FlashSystem 7300 and its Enclosure overview

This IBM Storage FlashSystem 7300 is a next-generation IBM FlashSystem control enclosure. It
combines the performance of flash and a Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe)-optimized
architecture with the reliability and innovation of IBM FlashCore technology and the rich feature
set and high availability (HA) of IBM Storage Virtualize.

The IBM FlashSystem 7300 system includes the following types of enclosures:
 A control enclosure manages your storage systems, communicates with the host, and
manages interfaces. It can also house up to 24 NVMe-capable flash drives. These drives can
be industry-standard NVMe types or the exclusive IBM FCM NVMe-type and up to 12
optional Storage Class Memory (SCM) type class drives.
 An expansion enclosure increases the available capacity of an IBM FlashSystem 7300
cluster. It communicates with the control enclosure through a dual pair of 12 Gbps SAS
connections. These expansion enclosures can house many flash (SSD) and hard-disk drive
(HDD) serial-attached SCSI (SAS) drives, depending on which enclosure model is ordered.
FCM's are not permitted in any of the SAS Expansion Enclosures.

Figure ) IBM FlashSystem 7300 control enclosure with one NVMe drive partially out

Control enclosures
Each control enclosure can have multiple attached expansion enclosures, which expand the
available capacity of the entire system. The IBM FlashSystem 7300 solution supports up to four
control enclosures and up to two chains of SAS expansion enclosures per control enclosure.

It’s control enclosure can be identified by the labeling “IBM FlashSystem 7300” on the left side
of the bezel cover, which covers the rack-mounting screws.
Figure. IBM FlashSystem 7300 bezel and IBM FCM description
 Figure : Rear view of IBM FlashSystem 7300 control enclosure

IBM FlashSystem 7300 GUI

Multiple IBM FlashSystem 7300 control enclosures can be connected to form a system, which is
sometimes called a cluster. A single management interface is used for the connected IBM
FlashSystem 7300 control enclosures. Each IBM FlashSystem 7300 node canister is an
individual server in an IBM FlashSystem 7300 clustered system, on which the IBM FlashSystem
7300 software runs.The IBM FlashSystem 7300 system includes an easy-to-use management
GUI that runs on the IBM FlashSystem 7300 control enclosure to help you monitor, manage, and
configure your system.
 Figure: IBM FlashSystem 7300 GUI showing the dashboard

Figure : IBM FlashSystem 7300 system overview of the control enclosure

N.B: The IBM FlashSystem 7300 system includes a CLI, which is useful for scripting, and a
GUI for simple and familiar management of the product
 Figure: Fully deployed IBM FlashSystem 7300 sample scenario

IBM FlashSystem 9500

IBM Storage FlashSystem 9500 combines IBM FlashCore® Modules, NVMe architecture and
AI-powered features for unrivaled performance. Part of the FlashSystem family, the 9500
delivers extreme speed and simplicity for the most demanding enterprise workloads. It also
protects your enterprise operations with IBM Cyber Vault for security and IBM HyperSwap® for
business continuity.
IBM FlashSystem 9500 enclosures overview
 A control enclosure manages your storage systems, communicates with the host, and
manages interfaces. In addition, it can house up to 48 NVMe-capable flash drives.

Figure : IBM FlashSystem 9500 control enclosure front view

 Each control enclosure can have multiple attached expansion enclosures, which expand
the available capacity of the entire system. The IBM FlashSystem 9500 solution supports
up to two control enclosures and up to two chains of SAS expansion enclosures per
control enclosure.

IBM SAN benefits

 Build smarter data centers
 Simplify management
 Afford scalability
 Achieve data flexibility
 Get superior performance
Conclusion
Storage Area Network (SAN) solutions have become a foundational element in modern
enterprise IT environments, enabling businesses to centralize, protect, and accelerate their data
assets. By offering high-speed, scalable, and resilient connectivity between servers and storage,
SANs deliver critical advantages in performance, availability, and disaster recovery.

IBM, as a leader in storage technologies, provides comprehensive SAN solutions built on Fibre
Channel (FC) and NVMe over Fabrics (NVMe-oF) standards. Their offerings — including IBM
SAN switches, FlashSystem storage devices, advanced host bus adapters (HBAs), and powerful
Spectrum software — create a robust ecosystem that meets the needs of diverse workloads, from
core business applications to cutting-edge AI and analytics.

The IBM FlashSystem portfolio, leveraging innovative technologies such as FlashCore Modules
and always-on encryption, delivers exceptional performance, ultra-low latency, and strong cyber
resilience. Whether deploying entry-level systems like the FlashSystem 5000, midrange solutions
like the FlashSystem 7300, or enterprise-class storage like the FlashSystem 9500, IBM ensures
scalability, simplicity, and enterprise-grade reliability.

Overall, IBM SAN solutions help organizations build smarter data centers, simplify
management, achieve superior data flexibility, and prepare their IT infrastructure for future
challenges. As businesses continue to generate and depend on massive volumes of data, investing
in a reliable and intelligent SAN solution is essential for ensuring agility, resilience, and long-
term success.