Podcast #113: Dell PowerScale and the Impact of QLC SSDs

Brian connects with Dell’s Product Management VP, David Noy for this week’s podcast. David has a varied background but focuses on software-defined technology, scale-out storage, hyperconverged compute platforms, and data center and cloud virtualization.

If you think back to Dell Technologies World, there were a number of announcements around software-defined and as-a-service options relating to storage and, more specifically, PowerScale. Dell believes the PowerScale is the most flexible and secure scale-out NAS solution on the market. Brian asks some pointed questions about Dell’s as-a-service consumption models as well as SSD partners.

It is an interesting conversation with specifics on Dell tests for SSD endurance and reliability. Dell uses the test results to determine how long the SSDs remain under warranty. David also discusses server densities and how that affects overall TCO. Overall this is a great primer for any PowerScale customer considering the new QLC SSD offering from Dell.

This is an interesting discussion about storage technology and the server market. It is definitely worth the time, but if you want to jump straight into a topic, the timestamps are below.

Solidigm P5316 Review

00:00 Introduction

David’s responsibilities with Dell Technologies
A short recap of Dell Tech World
PowerScale as-a-Service
Software-Defined OneFS

05:00 Cloud Delivery

Steps to get to Cloud Delivery
OneFS
Abstract from hardware
Feature Parity
QLC adoption
How drives are used

10:00 QLC Drive Capacities

Densities
Quality and Endurance
Write performance
Read performance

15:00 Bigger capacities are always preferred

Density rules
Datasets are expanding
What will Dell do to increase densities
Jamming more drives in servers
Tuning performance
Customer pushback

20:00 Multi-Source

Solidigm
Whatever the customer seeks
Spreading the data load

25:00 Endurance

Dell’s tests to ensure endurance
Drive performance with workloads
Software alerts on drive performance
Security
Cyber Protection

30:00 Backup products

Takes the right product
focus on user behavior
Protecction alternatives
PowerScale Solution

35:00 Data Security Ownership

Driven by CISO
Repercussions
Can Solution scale across product line

40:00 It’s an Antivirus World

What will get backed up?
Alpine
Alternatives to spin off data
Agility

45:00 Dell’s supply chain

Agility is critical
Wrap-up

Podcast Video

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2 years ago

Harold Fritts

I have been in the tech industry since IBM created Selectric. My background, though, is writing. So I decided to get out of the pre-sales biz and return to my roots, doing a bit of writing but still being involved in technology.