Nimble vs NetApp?

[KapsZ28]

I am starting a new thread because this one is only about Nimble and NetApp. We are seriously considering getting rid of NetApp in favor of Nimble. So far it seems all their performance relies on the CASL filesystem which also relies on the CPU built into the head.

They use either Western Digital or Seagate 7,200 RPM drives with a single SSD per shelf. The SSD is read cache only. Supposedly write performance is superior to NetApp because of the CASL filesystem and there is no need to do write caching. In our environment we are at least 60% writes, so write performance is important.

There is no shelf mirroring, so if you want a redundant shelf, you have to purchase another head as well and replicate the shelf.

Most of it sounds good, but it is hard to imagine that CASL is so much better that write performance on a 7,200 RPM drive is faster than 10k and 15k drives.

Has anyone had been able to compare NetApp and Nimble side by side or use Nimble and think it is the best thing since sliced bread?

 

[madrebel]

nimble sucks. i could go into why, but i won't. they talk a great game but ... yeah. best of luck if you go with them.

netapp is overpriced but generally just works. if you don't mind paying $1500 for a $300 drive, by all means go with netapp.

 

[NetJunkie]

Nimble, like other hybrid arrays, are pretty fast under most conditions and workloads. We tested them in our lab with no major complaints. If you are serious have them bring you a demo unit to test.

 

[KapsZ28]

Well, knowing why Nimble sucks would be very helpful. We already have NetApp, and I would hate to get storage that isn't as good just to save money.

 

[KapsZ28]

We have managed to stick with NetApp so far, but I am hearing they want to bring Nimble back in here to discuss the possibility of using them for storage.

Has anyone had experience with both Nimble and NetApp and can compare them? I remember that last Nimble rep that was here kept criticizing the WAFL file system and how the performance degrades over time because it becomes fragmented and that the Nimble filesystem isn't fragmented.

 

[MrGuvernment]

NetApp will likely buy nimble anyways, since nimble keeps spending and is in the red...

And why nimble sucks would like to hear this as well...

 

[Phelptwan]

Also interested in the "why nimble sucks" thing. We are looking into a 45TB nimble shortly at work.

 

[Far Side]

We sold more Nimble CS arrays this year than any other storage product. Every customer that's picked one up has been happy. They've all been deployed in heavily virtualized environments.

NetApp's forklift upgrade to get CDOT scared a lot of our customers away due to the service costs and their timeline to do so. NetApp is solid, but unnecessarily pricey at this point in the game. Much like Cisco, you're paying for the name more than a superior product.

 

[KapsZ28]

We sold more Nimble CS arrays this year than any other storage product. Every customer that's picked one up has been happy. They've all been deployed in heavily virtualized environments.

NetApp's forklift upgrade to get CDOT scared a lot of our customers away due to the service costs and their timeline to do so. NetApp is solid, but unnecessarily pricey at this point in the game. Much like Cisco, you're paying for the name more than a superior product.

We are stuck with that same issue. All our NetApp are in 7-mode. We got a brand new FAS8040 and had to use 7-mode as well in order for SnapMirror to work with an older filer.

Overall their product sounds good, but obviously without a POC and seeing it for myself, I can't really compare the two. Being that we don't need to go through a VAR and they off SOD (storage on demand) the pricing may be very appealing.