Lord of the data
Seminar Topix and Apple recently introduced new data management tools.
Seminar Topix and Apple recently presented new tools for data management Data is the company's capital for agencies and prepress companies. Protecting, securing and/or making it quickly available is therefore a major concern (not only) for these companies, and the topic of "Taming the flood of data" was the subject of a seminar organized by Topix AG, St. Gallen, and the hardware and software provider Apple Computer Switzerland. Dieter Herzmann, Managing Director of Topix, welcomed over 60 participants to Zurich at the end of March. The focus was on the latest developments in the field of data management - in particular Apple's powerful server systems and the Xsan technology introduced in January.
Xserve and RAID systemsSince Apple "really" entered the server market with the Xserve servers, the company has been causing a stir with innovative products and solutions. Apple's advantage of developing both hardware and software pays off here. In addition to the Xserve servers, Apple offers high-performance and high-availability RAID systems (see box), which manage up to 5.6 terabytes of data in a RAID enclosure and can be connected in series. The Xserve RAID storage systems are of interest to companies that manage large amounts of data and require high availability - in the media and printing industry, for example, for video editing and when using content and asset management systems. The IP failover function with two or more Xserve servers was also presented at the seminar. With this method, if the first server fails, the second server takes over its functions while retaining the same IP address. This allows increased reliability to be achieved.
The new version of Remote Desktop was shown in a live demo. This Apple software enables the remote control and monitoring of computers and servers.
Xsan - where it makes sense The afternoon seminar focused on Xsan. This part was presented and demonstrated by Apple Systems Engineer Stephan Blattmann. Xsan is Apple's cluster file system that makes data storage available for shared use. Xsan uses so-called metadata servers to manage data access to the storage systems (e.g. RAID systems), with a second metadata server taking over its function as soon as this important server fails. The Xsan cluster file system thus enables different servers or computers to access the same file system at the same time. Overall, this increases data availability.
In such high-speed networks, all computers must be equipped with special FibreChannel cards and double-routed FibreChannel cables must also be used so that Xsan can fully exploit its capabilities. Apple also offers the necessary software for this with Xsan.
Upper middle class
With Xsan, RAID systems and G5 servers, Apple "only" plays in the upper mid-range and not in the top league of server and data storage systems, but offers solutions at affordable prices that should be sufficient for most agencies and prepress companies. Speakers Dieter Herzmann and Stephan Blattmann from Apple provided detailed information on this. What was missing from the seminar were objective comparisons with other systems. On the other hand, this would have been somewhat difficult because, on the one hand, Apple is quite alone with this overall offer - and on the other hand, one afternoon would certainly not have been enough.
As a treat, Reto Büchler, Topix, gave a first glimpse of Apple's new Tiger operating system, which has now been announced and should be available at the end of April.
TopixTopix AG was founded in 1989 and is now a recognized system house and partner for all IT matters. Its specialization in the graphic arts industry makes Topix an efficient consulting and support company with a complete range of services, from consulting and sales to support, service and training. Based in St. Gallen and with a support base in Zurich, the company currently employs 13 people. Further information can be found at www.topix.ch. (jf)
RAIDThe acronym RAID stands for a combination of several inexpensive, redundant data storage devices (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks). Redundancy means that if one hard disk fails, the data on it is not lost but is restored or made available by the other hard disks. Depending on the requirements, different RAID levels are available (e.g. RAID 0, RAID 1 and RAID 5).
The advantage of RAID systems over servers with larger hard disks is that smaller and combined data storage devices are cheaper than large mass storage devices. (jf)
SANA SAN (Storage Area Network) is a storage network in which several servers or workstations access one or more storage units via SAN switches (distributors). This is also referred to as shared storage. SAN consolidates the content/data in one volume. All servers used can access all hard disks available in the SAN via a switch.
Each computer that is to be integrated into the SAN network requires corresponding software (e.g. Xsan from Apple). Access to the files is regulated by the additional and necessary metadata controller - another dedicated server that acts as a conductor, so to speak. Another metadata controller (as a standby controller) is required so that it can take over if the first metadata controller fails. (jf)
15 Xserve and 3 Xserve RAID in one rack.
Xsan is Apple's cluster file system.
Jürgen Franck
Xserve and RAID systemsSince Apple "really" entered the server market with the Xserve servers, the company has been causing a stir with innovative products and solutions. Apple's advantage of developing both hardware and software pays off here. In addition to the Xserve servers, Apple offers high-performance and high-availability RAID systems (see box), which manage up to 5.6 terabytes of data in a RAID enclosure and can be connected in series. The Xserve RAID storage systems are of interest to companies that manage large amounts of data and require high availability - in the media and printing industry, for example, for video editing and when using content and asset management systems. The IP failover function with two or more Xserve servers was also presented at the seminar. With this method, if the first server fails, the second server takes over its functions while retaining the same IP address. This allows increased reliability to be achieved.
The new version of Remote Desktop was shown in a live demo. This Apple software enables the remote control and monitoring of computers and servers.
Xsan - where it makes sense The afternoon seminar focused on Xsan. This part was presented and demonstrated by Apple Systems Engineer Stephan Blattmann. Xsan is Apple's cluster file system that makes data storage available for shared use. Xsan uses so-called metadata servers to manage data access to the storage systems (e.g. RAID systems), with a second metadata server taking over its function as soon as this important server fails. The Xsan cluster file system thus enables different servers or computers to access the same file system at the same time. Overall, this increases data availability.
In such high-speed networks, all computers must be equipped with special FibreChannel cards and double-routed FibreChannel cables must also be used so that Xsan can fully exploit its capabilities. Apple also offers the necessary software for this with Xsan.
Upper middle class
With Xsan, RAID systems and G5 servers, Apple "only" plays in the upper mid-range and not in the top league of server and data storage systems, but offers solutions at affordable prices that should be sufficient for most agencies and prepress companies. Speakers Dieter Herzmann and Stephan Blattmann from Apple provided detailed information on this. What was missing from the seminar were objective comparisons with other systems. On the other hand, this would have been somewhat difficult because, on the one hand, Apple is quite alone with this overall offer - and on the other hand, one afternoon would certainly not have been enough.
As a treat, Reto Büchler, Topix, gave a first glimpse of Apple's new Tiger operating system, which has now been announced and should be available at the end of April.
TopixTopix AG was founded in 1989 and is now a recognized system house and partner for all IT matters. Its specialization in the graphic arts industry makes Topix an efficient consulting and support company with a complete range of services, from consulting and sales to support, service and training. Based in St. Gallen and with a support base in Zurich, the company currently employs 13 people. Further information can be found at www.topix.ch. (jf)
RAIDThe acronym RAID stands for a combination of several inexpensive, redundant data storage devices (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks). Redundancy means that if one hard disk fails, the data on it is not lost but is restored or made available by the other hard disks. Depending on the requirements, different RAID levels are available (e.g. RAID 0, RAID 1 and RAID 5).
The advantage of RAID systems over servers with larger hard disks is that smaller and combined data storage devices are cheaper than large mass storage devices. (jf)
SANA SAN (Storage Area Network) is a storage network in which several servers or workstations access one or more storage units via SAN switches (distributors). This is also referred to as shared storage. SAN consolidates the content/data in one volume. All servers used can access all hard disks available in the SAN via a switch.
Each computer that is to be integrated into the SAN network requires corresponding software (e.g. Xsan from Apple). Access to the files is regulated by the additional and necessary metadata controller - another dedicated server that acts as a conductor, so to speak. Another metadata controller (as a standby controller) is required so that it can take over if the first metadata controller fails. (jf)
15 Xserve and 3 Xserve RAID in one rack.
Xsan is Apple's cluster file system.
Jürgen Franck
