HELP - SAN Choices: NetApp vs EMC vs EqualLogic

[beverlyJean]

We are a small shop with storage needs! We are moving to virtualize 40 servers using Vsphere and need to choose the storage piece. We've narrowed down to three final make and models:

1. NetApp - FAS2050

2. EMC - Clarrion CX4-120

3. EqualLogic - PS5000XV

Pricing is similar w/all 3 vendors and not a concern. However, Ease of Use and DR\replication abilities are our main concern. Any advice\suggestions\experiences good and bad (especially from anyone running any of these models) are welcomed in helping us make our final decision.

-appreciated.....bj

[AsherN]

More Findings.....might help someone out there.

2. Yes, Netapp really trumpets their "raid-dp" technology. It seems like it will spare me the effort of having to decide which data sets required raid10 and which were acceptable to put on raid5. Plus, if I just take all the drives and make them raid-dp, I get the added benefit of pooling together the performance of all those spindles-a nice aggregrate. With the Celerra, I couldn't just make everything RAID-6 and reap the same benefits.

-BJ

No, it won't. There is still very real performance difference betwqeen RAID 5/6 and RAID 10. raid-dp is one of those. I/O intensive apps, especially if they do a lot of reads will greatly benefit from RAID10, RAID 5/6 will maximize your disk capacity.

[SamWiseTx]

How is tour NetApp experience beem. I am in the same boat you were and cannot decide on which SAN solution to go with.