3PAR introduced the 3PAR InServ T400 and T800 Storage Servers, built on a third-generation 3PAR InSpire Architecture that features the 3PAR Gen3 ASIC with integrated fat-to-thin processing. With the delivery of the new T-Class arrays, 3PAR has become a storage vendor that incorporates efficient, silicon-based thin technologies into system hardware. The InServ T800 also set a new Storage Performance Council Benchmark 1 (SPC-1) record, doubling the performance of the previous generation of InServ arrays to become the fastest single-system storage array according to published results on file with the Storage Performance Council (SPC).

"Enterprise datacenter managers continually seek to decrease complexity and increase utilization. To this end, virtualization technologies such as thin provisioning are fast becoming 'must have' features to realize greater efficiencies in the virtualized datacenter," said Brad Nisbet, Research anager, Storage Systems at IDC. "As a leader in bringing software-based thin provisioning to the open-systems market, 3PAR's endeavor to build thin technologies into hardware is a logical progression that will increase the efficiencies of enterprise organizations."

Thin Built In Design
The 3PAR Gen3 ASICs within the T-Class arrays feature a Thin Built In design to increase capacity utilization while maintaining high service levels. This design incorporates detection of allocated but unused capacity ("zero-detection" capability) into the 3PAR Gen3 ASIC to offer a silicon-based mechanism for fat-to-thin volume conversions. These fat-to-thin volume conversions are intended to boost capacity utilization by removing allocated but unused space from traditional volumes. 3PAR is the first in the industry to commercially ship storage systems with fat-to-thin capability designed into the hardware architecture of its arrays.

The Thin Built In architecture of the T-Class arrays was designed to preserve service levels and prevent disruption to production workloads during migration of "fat" volumes from other storage platforms to new "thin" volumes on the InServ. When fat-to-thin volume conversions take place in specialized silicon, controller CPU and memory resources are not diverted away from application workloads. This averts the negative performance impact of a software-based fat-to-thin implementation.

InServ T-Class arrays featuring the 3PAR Gen3 ASIC with the Thin Built In design are available today. 3PAR is developing additional software functionality to make fat-to-thin volume conversions, which are not currently supported in software, possible on the T-Class arrays with the next release of the 3PAR InForm Operating System.