Gorodenkoff - stock.adobe.com
Nexsan adds data protection to NV6000 unified storage
Nexsan's new unified array, the NV6000, adds immutable snapshots that create an 'unbreakable' backup when combined with the vendor's Assureon backup appliance.
Nexsan expanded its portfolio this week with a new unified storage system with built-in data protection to help combat ransomware in a cost-effective manner.
The new Unity NV6000, part of Nexsan's unified storage line, is a hybrid array that combines flash and HDDs to help customers consolidate file, block and object workloads and simplify storage infrastructure management. The NV6000 also comes with built-in immutable snapshots for volume and file systems and can work with Nexsan's archive data vault, Assureon, for what the vendor calls "unbreakable backup."
Adding some level of data protection to primary storage is becoming table stakes now, according to Marc Staimer, president of Dragon Slayer Consulting. Cybersecurity and resilience are no longer just a nice feature, but a need.
"At the end of the day, if you don't have it, you're in trouble," he said.
Nexsan is taking its reliable and cost-effective storage and adding security elements through immutable snapshots, Staimer said.
Unbreakable backup
Immutable snapshots come standard on the NV6000, according to the vendor. However, when used in conjunction with its Assureon write once, read many backup device, the backups become unbreakable, Nexsan said. Assureon adds a self-healing, replicated environment.
Immutable snapshots can't be changed once created, so in that sense it is unbreakable, according to Dave Raffo, an independent IT analyst.
While NV6000 and Assureon add several layers of security, the features aren't unique to Nexsan, Raffo said. Infinidat, for example, added cyber resiliency to its InfiniBox SSA II back in August 2022.
"They're not doing anything that other [storage vendors] aren't doing," he said, adding that Nexsan is increasing these features for its core small to medium-sized enterprises and SMB markets.
Physically, the NV6000 is similar to the rest of Nexsan's Unity line, Raffo said. Unlike Infinidat, Nexsan is going after the midmarket, where S3 object support is a selling point, he said.
"A lot of object storage is built for petabyte-and-up implementation," Raffo said. "[Nexsan] can do much smaller object storage and still write to S3."
-f_mobile.jpg )
Demand for hybrid arrays
While there are several vendors focusing on and selling all-flash arrays, exclusively or in conjunction with hybrid arrays, Nexsan NV6000 includes HDDs under the hood. Customers still seek out hybrid arrays mainly for price, Staimer said.
"The cost per terabyte is still significantly lower for HDDs than it is for the cheapest SSDs," Staimer said.
Nexsan is meeting customers where they are instead of upselling to faster storage, Raffo said. Nexsan offers an all-NVMe Unity with its NV10000, but it comes down to customers' workloads.
"[Nexsan is saying to customers], 'you don't need all the bells and whistles we can give you if the storage is good enough for your needs,'" Raffo said.
The NV6000 includes the vendor's FASTier caching technology for faster performance and has redundant storage controllers and power supplies for high availability. Customers can order the Nexsan Unity NV6000 now at a starting cost of $65,000.
Adam Armstrong is a TechTarget Editorial news writer covering file and block storage hardware, and private clouds. He previously worked at StorageReview.com.
