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Nimbus Data Unveils FlashRack® for Cloud, AI, Enterprise, and Edge Infrastructure

Universal data platform, next-generation architecture, and commitment to open standards

Irvine, CA, August 7, 2024 – Nimbus Data today unveiled the new FlashRack® line of next-generation all-flash storage systems. Scalable to petabytes of encrypted enterprise-grade flash, FlashRack offers performance, security, versatility, efficiency, and value unrivaled in the market. Powered by Nimbus Data’s HALO software, FlashRack delivers more than scalable storage – it offers an accelerated data platform to support critical Cloud, AI, Enterprise, and Edge applications.

“Today, organizations are rethinking their data infrastructure as they take on new growth initiatives,” stated Thomas Isakovich, CEO and Founder of Nimbus Data. “FlashRack offers a most compelling solution – an open and high-performance architecture with exceptional scale and efficiency, as well as a truly universal platform that can be optimized for virtually any data type and workload.”

Powerful HALO Software Enables the Universal Flash Storage Platform

At the heart of FlashRack is HALO, powerful software for holistic and open data management. With Flexspaces, FlashRack offers unmatched versatility, supporting any data type (block, file, object) and any workload type (mission-critical enterprise, extreme performance, maximum efficiency, data mobility) on one platform. This approach optimizes FlashRack for virtually any use case. With Federation, hundreds of FlashRacks can be centrally managed, simplifying administration at scale.

FlashRack features Nimbus Data’s patented Parallel Memory Architecture (PMA), a stateless design that writes data to enterprise-grade flash memory in a single operation. Competing architectures require three operations: one write to a DRAM or SLC cache on one controller, another write to mirror this cache to a second controller, and a third write to commit this data to lower-grade flash later. FlashRack’s efficient approach delivers higher performance while using less energy. Just one cabinet of FlashRack systems offers up to 100 PB of effective capacity, 3 TB/sec of throughput, and 200 million IOps, all while drawing just 18 kW of power. These record-breaking statistics make FlashRack the densest, fastest, and most energy efficient modular storage platform ever.

FlashRack is powered by Nimbus Data’s new Iridium network storage controllers. These active-active controllers support all major networks at today’s fastest data rates, including 10G to 400G Ethernet, 16G to 64G Fibre Channel, and FDR to NDR InfiniBand. Built-in hardware acceleration provides AES-256 encryption with zero impact on performance. Iridium controllers also feature dedicated WAN connectivity for replicating data securely to the public cloud. With its compact size, FlashRack can be deployed virtually anywhere, including tactical and edge environments.

Open Architecture and Lower TCO with Industry Standard SSDs

While enterprise storage vendors require customers to purchase capacity from them at premium prices, FlashRack puts the power back in the customer’s hands. FlashRack uses industry-standard SSDs, not proprietary flash modules or firmware-locked SSDs. Existing vendors may tout their “walled garden” approach, but the reality is that such proprietary systems offer no advantages in performance, density, or efficiency. For example, FlashRack delivers up to 1.5 PB raw capacity in just 2U and 900W, compared to 11U and 2400W for one competitor’s top-end “proprietary module-based” system. That gives FlashRack a 5:1 density advantage and 3:1 energy efficiency advantage.

Solid State Packs Set Capacity Record and Ease Data Transport at the Edge

FlashRack supports 16 TB, 32 TB, and 64 TB NVMe SSDs, as well as a new option – SSPs, or Solid State Packs. SSPs combine multiple SSDs into one hot-pluggable and encrypted storage module. Using Flexspaces, SSPs can be mirrored, then split and unmounted. Up to 512 TB each, SSPs simplify capacity expansion and facilitate rapid data transport between FlashRack systems, a growing need for organizations grappling with massive data at the edge. Customers can also purchase FlashRack without any capacity and then add qualified SSDs from major vendors. This “unlocked” approach ensures that FlashRack customers always benefit from fair capacity pricing.

“At WWE, our data storage requirements are massive, and events like WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, and Monday Night RAW each generate hundreds of terabytes of data,” stated Caleb House, Director of Remote Broadcast Systems and Integration at WWE. “The performance and reliability of Nimbus Data flash arrays and Solid State Packs enable us to quickly capture and migrate footage from field locations to our headquarters for post-production, improving our workflow and productivity.”

Revolutionary Tectonic Program Reigns in Runaway Storage Costs

Unpredictable maintenance fees and capacity-based licensing have long been unwelcome costs in enterprise storage. Nimbus Data’s Tectonic program eliminates the “capacity tax” approach once and for all. With Tectonic, software and maintenance are charged at a flat rate, regardless of system capacity or age. Instead of tiered support options at different price points, Tectonic provides all customers with 24 x 7 x 365 support, rapid parts replacement, free web-based training, and annual check-ups. FlashRack also comes with a 60-day money back guarantee.

With AlwaysGreen, FlashRack is a 100% green, zero emissions storage platform. To accomplish this, Nimbus Data offsets the expected power consumption of all FlashRacks sold with renewable energy credits, a benefit that helps our customers achieve their sustainability objectives. With AlwaysBlue, customers can choose either a free controller upgrade or flash capacity credit after five years, providing a seamless hardware refresh that extends the system life to up to ten years.

Pricing and Availability

FlashRack systems are available in two models:

  • FlashRack Turbo
    • Maximum performance and scalability for AI, data center, cloud, and HPC
    • Up to 1.5 PB raw capacity (5 PB potential), with 24 x 64 TB SSDs or 3 x 512 TB SSPs
    • Connectivity up to 400G Ethernet, NDR InfiniBand, and 64G Fibre Channel
    • 2U rack space and 900W typical power
  • FlashRack Ultra
    • Exceptional capacity and performance for enterprise and edge applications
    • Up to 768 TB raw capacity (2.5 PB potential), with 24 x 32 TB SSDs or 3 x 256 TB SSPs
    • Connectivity up to 100G Ethernet, EDR InfiniBand, and 32G Fibre Channel
    • 2U rack space and 700W typical power

FlashRack is shipping now. Nimbus Data is showcasing FlashRack at the Future of Memory and Storage conference in Santa Clara, California, from August 6-8, 2024, booth 803. To learn more, contact Nimbus Data at [email protected] and visit our website at www.nimbusdata.com.

About Nimbus Data

Founded in 2003, Nimbus Data develops innovative flash storage solutions for data-intensive applications in cloud, AI, enterprise, and edge infrastructure. Our solutions include the powerful HALO storage software, FlashRack® all-flash systems, ExaDrive® solid state drives, and the ground-breaking Tectonic customer experience. Nimbus Data helps hundreds of organizations accelerate and protect their most critical data assets. To learn more, visit us at www.nimbusdata.com.