IBM Launches DeepFlash 150 For Big Data Workloads

IBM has launched the latest addition to its flash array portfolio, the DeepFlash 150, which is designed to process unstructured big data workloads at competitive prices.

As workloads evolve to the point of requiring massive levels of scalability and availability, IBM hopes to see the DeepFlash 150 used in a wide range of applications, including high-performance computing workloads.

The DeepFlash 150 completes the IBM all-flash portfolio across all types of workloads, according to IDC’s Eric Burgerner.

Seven petabytes

The 150 offers a high storage density of up to 170TB per rack unit, meaning customers can jam in seven petabytes of all-flash in just one industry standard rack.

“The IBM DeepFlash 150 system has been designed around the data storage requirements of social media, big data and analytics, and an increasingly mobile workforce, while being targeted for hyperscale and cloud workloads,” said IBM.

One early customer is the Advanced Research Computing (ARC) division at Virginia Tech. ARC uses IBM’s Spectrum Scale filesystem for the high-performance computing needs of astrophysics, bioinformatics, and engineering.

After doubling the number of cores in its compute engines, ARC said that the DeepFlash 150 will meet its future needs.

“IBM DeepFlash 150 provides an essential big data building block for petabyte-scale, cost-constrained, high-density big data storage environments,” said IBM’s Bina Hallman.

“It delivers the response times of an all-flash array coupled with extraordinarily competitive cost benefits. DeepFlash 150 is an ideal choice to accelerate big data, mobile and social systems of engagement, unstructured data and any other workload requiring very low latency, high capacity and sustained throughput.”

As the price of all-flash is still a pain point for many customers, IBM knows how it important it is to keep competitive. The DeepFlash 150 works out at around $1 per GB.

The 150 supports 64 separate 8 TB Flash modules in a single enclosure. There are three standard configurations (128 TB, 256 TB, and 512 TB) and an optional 128 TB Flash upgrade kit. This system can be deployed as a single Flash device or with IBM Spectrum Scale as part of a multi-petabyte distributed deployment.

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