VMware vSAN certification for PM5 series of enterprise SAS SSDs

This enables users to define the storage capabilities required (such as performance, capacity and availability) for each connected Virtual Machine (VM) within the VMware vSAN cluster.

These capabilities not only further Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI) options in virtual environments, but also ensures that storage policies are administered and maintained within the PM5 Series with the utmost vSAN compatibility.

The certification of the PM5 Series enables VMware vSAN support for both hybrid and all-flash configurations using a two-tier storage architecture (capacity tier and cache tier). All write operations are sent to the cache tier and are subsequently de-staged to the capacity tier over time.

When a PM5 Series SSD is deployed within a hybrid configuration, its cache tier is used as both a read and write cache, keeping hot data to improve performance. In an all-flash configuration, 100% of the cache tier is used for the write buffer. Given the benefits of tiered storage, PM5 Series SSDs are capable of meeting the demanding requirements of both enterprise and data center customers.

Built with Toshiba Memory’s 64-layer BiCS FLASH TLC (3-bit-per-cell) 3D flash memory, the PM5 Series offers up to 15.36TB capacities in a 2.5" form factor, and supports a full range of endurance and capacity ranges. It also utilises the industry’s first MultiLink SAS architecture that delivers the fastest SAS SSD sequential performance to date.

In addition, PM5 Series SSDs support multi-stream write technology - a feature that intelligently manages and groups data types together to minimise write amplification and garbage collection, which in turn, translates into reduced latency, improved endurance, increased performance and better Quality of Service (QoS).

“We are pleased to be collaborating closely with Toshiba Memory to jointly certify flash innovations for the fast-growing hyper-converged infrastructure market,” said Lee Caswell, Vice President Products, Storage and Availability Business Unit, VMware.

“Now that database applications represent the top workload for VMware vSAN, flash performance, such as the jointly certified Toshiba Memory PM5 12Gb/s SAS SSDs, is critical for customers looking for proven compatibility and interoperability.”

“Enterprise and datacenter customers can now not only benefit from the higher capacity, reliability and performance of our PM5 SAS SSDs. Achieving the vSAN 6.7certification in co-operation with VMware enables customers to pool these devices together in one single, shared vSAN data storage solution” Paul Rowan, Vice President SSD Business Unit, Toshiba Memory Europe.

The PM5 Series of 12Gb/s SAS SSDs with VMware vSAN 6.7 and VMware ESXi 6.7 certification is shipping now and includes customised server OEM models also approved for vSAN all-flash capacity tier, all-flash caching tier and hybrid caching tier implementations.