JetStor is a range of rackmount RAID models that connect to host computers or a SAN. Different models are available that support IDE, SATA and SCSI drives. The choice that you should make is dependent on many variables, not least the application that you are running.

Choosing the right RAID architecture is very important to realising the performance you need. The different disk types and RAID methodology have a big impact on different applications performance. Some users will know already the precise architecture to optimise their application, some will require help. The following information is just a basic summary. If you are not sure, or require more information, then please do ask for help. Our aim is to provide you with much more than just a box. We'll help specify, configure and support you as little or as much as you require.

JetStor IDE: Suitable for applications that require medium and large transfers such as disk to disk backup; Web and file Server Storage. Supports RAID levels 0, 1, 0+1, 3, 5 and Raid 6 with Data Sentry tolerates two simultaneous drive failures.

Select JetStor 8 bay IDE for - lowest cost solution. Select JetStor 16 bay IDE for - high capacity, low cost.

	JetStor IDE 316S 16 Bay 3U ATA-SCSI Rackmount RAID Array with ADS (RAID6)
	JetStor IDE 316F 16 Bay 3U ATA-to-2Gbit Fibre Channel Rackmount RAID Array
	JetStor IDE 308S 8 Bay 2U ATA-SCSI Rackmount RAID Array with ADS (RAID6)

JetStor SATA: Suitable for most applications that require small, medium and large data transfers including Web and file Server Storage, Video, Imaging and Pre Press. Supports RAID levels 0, 1, 0+1 , 3, 5 and 6. SATA drives deliver higher capacity per drive than SCSI drives. Cableless backplane and SATA drives deliver higher resilience than IDE. Latest technology SATA combines the capacity properties of IDE with the
higher resilience characteristics of SCSI drives. low/medium cost solution slightly more expensive than IDE.

Select JetStor SATA for value, capacity, resilience and good performance.

	JetStor SATA 416S 16 3U Bay Serial ATA - U320 Rackmount RAID Array with ADS (RAID 6)
	JetStor SATA 412S -NEW 12 Bay 2U Serial ATA - U320 Rackmount RAID Array with ADS (RAID 6)
	JetStor SATA 416F 16 Bay 3U Serial ATA-to-2Gbit Fibre Channel Rackmount RAID Array

JetStor SCSI: Suitable for applications that require small transfers and/or random access of data such as email and database. Supports RAID levels 0, 1, 0+1, 3, and 5

Select JetStor SCSI for - Highest performance and best resilience.

	JetStor SCSI 316F 16 Bay 3U SCSI-to-2Gbit Fibre Channel Rackmount RAID Array
	JetStor SCSI 316S 16 Bay 3U SCSI-SCSI Rackmount RAID Array

Please do contact us for further information, a quotation or help regarding any requirement you may have. We're confident that you'll appreciate the difference.

Bits & Bytes - Basic elements of storage. One single digit of binary data is called a 'bit'. When grouped together, 8 bits of data are known as a 'byte'. These are the basic building blocks of all data used and stored by modern binary computers and microprocessors.

Cache - A section of a device's memory which retains recently accessed data in order to speed up repeated access to the same data.

CLI - Command Line Interface. Control of a computer or device via typed commands as opposed to a graphical interface with a mouse.

Direct Attached - In a storage context refers to mass storage devices attached via a bus or subsystem that is local to (ie. part of) the host computer.

GB - Gigabyte. 1024 Megabytes (MB) - See Bits & Bytes, above.

GUI - Graphical User Interface. Control of a device via a user friendly pictorial interface, often involving a mouse, that speeds learning and familiarity over a command line format.

NAS - Network Attached Storage - A general term referring to storage accessed via a network subsystem rather than directly attached via a local interface like SCSI.

PB - Petabyte. 1024 Terabytes (TB) - See Bits & Bytes, above.

RAID - Redundant Array of Independent Disks. When first devised, RAID originally stood for Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks, but the disk vendors objected to the cost implication in the name. It was subsequently changed to the current definition.

Simply put, the idea was to spread the data over multiple disks in such a way as to prevent the loss of a drive causing a loss of data. RAID can either be implemented in hardware, as in our JetStor products, or in software as part of the operating system. The software solution is most inferior in terms of performance of the host system, which suffers a significant overhead in providing the RAID in software. There were 5 raid levels originally devised, each offering a different tradeoff of cost, performance and resilience. Since then, vendors have added further refinements, culminating in RAID 6, available on the JetStor range of products.

You can learn more about RAID levels from AC&NC's award winning RAID tutorial.

Redundant - Components provided in duplicate form so that failure of one or more components does not prevent the subsystem from funtioning.

SAN - A Storage Area Network enables host computers to share storage via network protocols. Although ordinary Cat/5 ethernet can be used as the network medium, in practice it is too slow, with fiber or gigabit copper being the optimum choice.

Just as ordinary networks use hubs and switches, special SAN switches are used to connect the hosts to the storage devices.

SATA - Serial ATA is designed to approach the performance and resilience of SCSI drives using less expensive ATA technology. A new high speed serial interface replaces the old 5v ATA interface that was had reached the end of its evolution. A new implementation, known as SATA II (or SATA 300) will improve further on performance and offer some significant internal drive improvements like Native Command Queuing. See the SATA organisation site for more details.

SCSI - The Small Computer Systems Interface was developed in the late '80s to standardise the connection of peripherals like disks, tape drives and even scanners to micro and mini computers. It has constantly been developed through faster and faster evolutions and is still a pre-eminent standard today in blue chip servers for the connection of storage. See the SCSI Association site for more.

TB - Terabyte. 1024 Gigabytes (GB) - See Bits & Bytes, above.

U (ie: 1U, 2U, 3U etc) - A standardised unit of height measurement for rackmounting components in industry standard equipment racks. One 'U' is 1.75" (inches).