Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute is a research institution dedicated to advancing our understanding of cancer and developing innovative solutions for cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance research capabilities, CRUK Cambridge Institute sought to expand its unique storage infrastructure to support the increasing volume of data generated in cancer research.
CRUK Cambridge Institute faced a pressing challenge: the need to extend its storage infrastructure, specifically for its Lustre Object Storage Servers (OSSs). With the growing demand for storage capacity and data processing speed, the institute sought a solution that could not only provide high performance but also ensure data redundancy for data integrity.
To address this challenge, CRUK Cambridge Institute turned to Zstor GmbH, a renowned technology solutions provider, to find an optimal solution. Zstor GmbH recommended a comprehensive storage solution that could meet the unique requirements of CRUK Cambridge Institute.
Helmut Kopel, Managing Director at Zstor, comments: "Collaborating with CRUK Cambridge Institute on this project was a rewarding experience. Our tailored storage solution not only met but exceeded their expectations. We are proud to contribute to the advancement of cancer research through innovative technology solutions."
Key Components of the Solution
The CIB224NVG4 2-Node Server, designed by Zstor, features a 2-node server configuration in a dense 2U format with 24 DapuStor NVMe Gen4 SSDs. This configuration enhances storage capacity and redundancy for CRUK Cambridge Institute, ensuring data availability even during hardware failures.
In the high-performance computing (HPC) domain, this technology is well-suited for providing the Lustre OSS/OST layers. It facilitates fast NVMe switched access to the Object Storage Targets on the storage array from the two internal Object Storage Servers. These servers are accessible over a 200Gb/s InfiniBand network, optimising data flow within the system.
Zstor's selection of DapuStor Roealsen5 NVMe Gen4 SSDs aligns with the customer's requirements for speed and robust data storage. The DapuStor Roealsen5 Series, designed on DapuStor DP600 controller firmware with 3D eTLC NAND Flash. SSDs offer high speed, superior reliability, low latency, and excellent power efficiency, contributing to an optimised total cost of ownership (TCO) for enterprise IT, cloud facilities, manufacturing, and AI applications.
The implementation of this storage solution at CRUK Cambridge Institute yielded significant results, positively impacting the institute's research capabilities and infrastructure. This increase was delivered through improved research tasks, redundancy and data integrity and satisfaction with consulting, implementation, and support.
Improved Research Tasks: The integration of the CIB224NVG4 server with DapuStor Roealsen5 NVMe Gen4 SSDs significantly improved data processing and storage performance. This enhancement enabled researchers at CRUK Cambridge Institute to accelerate their HPC research tasks, process larger datasets, and perform more complex analyses.
Redundancy and Data Integrity: The 2-node server configuration provided redundancy, ensuring data integrity and reducing the risk of data loss in case of hardware issues. This enhanced the reliability of their storage infrastructure.
Satisfaction with Consulting, Implementation, and Support: CRUK Cambridge Institute expressed their satisfaction with the consulting, implementation, and support services provided by Zstor and DapuStor. The collaboration and expertise offered were integral to the successful implementation of the storage solution.
