Intel To Ship iSCSI SATA Storage Modules To System Builders

The company's new Storage System SSR212MA is a hardware and software solution for building SATA storage arrays for IP-based storage networks, said Scott Peiffer, product line manager for white box storage.

Each SSR212MA includes its own controller, and has space for up to 12 hard drives, giving it a maximum capacity of 4.8 Tbytes using 400-Gbyte drives or 6.0 Tbytes with 500-Gbyte drives.

An unlimited number of the storage devices can be clustered together. Since each has its own controller, adding more storage nodes delivers additional Gbit Ethernet connectivity for increasing the cluster's reliability, Peiffer said.

One or more SSR212MA modules can be virtualized into up to three systems for data replication purposes, he said. "It depends on how you want to configure your data protection," he said.

The modules are aimed at helping Intel's system builder customers and OEMs help their clients move toward networked storage using industry-standard hardware and software, including server boards, RAID cards and chassis, Peiffer said. A typical client might be a small or midsize business that needs to consolidate its storage, he said.

The SSR212MA is expected to start shipping by the middle of November. Peiffer would not disclose channel pricing, but he said Intel expects list pricing to start at around $6,000 with one or two hard drives, and range up to $20,000 fully loaded. "These are with significant margins," he said.