This IBM® Redpaper publication provides an overview of the IBM Elastic Storage® Server
(IBM ESS) and IBM Elastic Storage System (also IBM ESS). These scalable, high-performance data and file management solution, are built on IBM Spectrum® Scale technology. Providing reliability, performance, and scalability, IBM ESS can be implemented for a range of diverse requirements.

The latest IBM ESS 3500 is the most innovative system that provides investment protection to expand or build a new Global Data Platform and use current storage. The system allows enhanced, non-disruptive upgrades to grow from flash to hybrid or from hard disk drives (HDDs) to hybrid. IBM ESS can scale up or out with two different storage mediums in the environment, and it is ready for technologies like 200 Gb Ethernet or InfiniBand NDR-200 connectivity.

This publication helps you to understand the solution and its architecture. It describes ordering the best solution for your environment, planning the installation and integration of the solution into your environment, and correctly maintaining your solution.

The solution is created from the following combination of physical and logical components:

Knowledge of the IBM Elastic Storage Server and IBM Elastic Storage System components is key for planning an environment.

This paper is targeted toward technical professionals (consultants, technical support staff,
IT Architects, and IT specialists) who are responsible for delivering cost-effective cloud services and big data solutions. The content of this paper can help you to uncover insights among client’s data so that you can take appropriate actions to optimize business results, product development, and scientific discoveries.

This paper was produced by a team of specialists from around the world working with International Technical Support Organization (ITSO), Tucson Center.

Stieg Klein is a Senior Storage Technical Specialist in IBM Advanced Technology Group (ATG). He joined IBM in 2012 and is focused on IBM software-defined storage (SDS), including IBM Elastic Storage System (IBM ESS) and IBM Spectrum Scale. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley.

Chris Maestas is the Chief Executive Architect for IBM File and Object Storage Solutions with over 25 years of experience deploying and designing IT systems for clients in various spaces. He has experience scaling performance and availability with various file systems technologies. He has developed benchmark frameworks to test out systems for reliability and to validate research performance data. He also has led global enablement sessions online and face to face, where he described how best to position mature technologies like
IBM Spectrum Scale with emerging technologies in cloud, object, container, or AI spaces.

Thanks to the following people for their contributions to this project:

Larry Coyne and Phillip Gerrard
International Technical Support Organization

Rezaul Islam
IBM Systems

John Sing
IBM Global Sales

Thanks to the authors of prior editions:

Dino Quintero, Puneet Chaudhary, Lee Nee Helgeson, Brian Herr, Steven Normann, Marcelo Ramos, Richard Rosenthal, Robert Simon, John Sing, Marian Tomescu, Richard Wale

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