#Intel Optane in #VMware environment – sample hardware from #vExpert program and Intel.

As technology continues to advance, the demand for faster and more efficient storage solutions increases. One such solution is the Intel Optane SSD, a new type of solid-state drive (SSD) that offers a significant performance boost compared to traditional SSDs.

Another advantage of Intel Optane SSD is its ability to work in conjunction with traditional NAND-based SSDs to form a hybrid storage solution. This allows for the best of both worlds, with the Optane SSD providing lightning-fast access to frequently used data, while the NAND SSD stores larger amounts of data at a lower cost per GB.

One of the most notable applications of the Intel Optane SSD is in the data center, where the drive’s high performance and low latency can significantly improve the performance of databases and other enterprise applications. The drive is also well-suited for use in high-performance computing, gaming, and content creation.

Elephant in the room!

During Intel’s earnings call in July, it was announced that the company had written off over half a billion dollars for the discontinuation of the Optane technology, causing confusion and uncertainty among consumers who were wondering if this meant that Optane products were no longer available for purchase.

Despite previous announcements, Optane technology will continue to be available for purchase and will remain a viable product option until at least 2025. Additionally, even if purchased on the last day of availability, Optane products will still come with a 5-year warranty.

What is Intel Optane Technology

Intel Optane technology is a type of non-volatile memory (NVM) that is designed to bridge the gap between high-performance storage and traditional memory. It is built on a 3D XPoint architecture, which allows for faster data access and transfer speeds, higher endurance, and lower power consumption compared to traditional NAND flash memory.

One of the key advantages of Intel Optane technology is its ability to work in conjunction with traditional NAND-based storage solutions to form a hybrid storage solution. This allows for the best of both worlds, with the Optane technology providing lightning-fast access to frequently used data, while the NAND storage stores larger amounts of data at a lower cost per GB.

Optane technology is well suited for use in a variety of applications, including data centers, high-performance computing, gaming, and content creation. In data centers, the high performance and low latency of Optane technology can greatly improve the performance of databases and other enterprise applications. In high-performance computing, Optane technology can accelerate scientific simulations, machine learning workloads, and artificial intelligence applications.

One of the most significant applications of Intel Optane technology is in the development of Optane Memory and Optane SSDs. Optane Memory is a system accelerator that sits between the processor and system memory, providing faster access to frequently used data. Optane SSDs are high-performance solid-state drives that use Optane technology to deliver faster data access and transfer speeds.

While Intel Optane technology is currently more expensive than traditional NAND-based storage solutions, the technology is still relatively new, and prices are expected to drop over time. Additionally, the performance benefits of Optane technology can more than makeup for the extra cost in certain applications.

The Intel Optane technology is a game-changing technology that offers a significant boost in performance and efficiency compared to traditional storage solutions. As the technology continues to evolve and become more widely adopted, it will likely play a major role in shaping the future of high-performance storage.

Intel Optane with VMware vSAN

Intel Optane technology can be used in conjunction with VMware vSAN, a software-defined storage solution, to provide high-performance storage infrastructure for virtualized environments. VMware vSAN uses local storage resources, such as hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs), to create a shared data store for virtual machines (VMs).

When used with Intel Optane SSDs, vSAN can provide a significant performance boost for applications that require fast access to frequently used data. Optane SSDs can be used as a caching layer in vSAN, providing faster access to frequently used data and reducing the workload on the vSAN data store. This can help to improve the performance of VMs, reduce latency, and increase the overall efficiency of the vSAN storage infrastructure.

In addition to providing faster access to frequently used data, Intel Optane technology can also be used to improve the performance of vSAN in other ways. For example, Optane SSDs can be used as a capacity tier in vSAN, providing faster access to infrequently used data. This can help to reduce the amount of storage space required for vSAN and lower the overall cost of the storage infrastructure.

One of the benefits of using Intel Optane technology with VMware vSAN is that it allows organizations to scale their storage infrastructure to meet the demands of their applications. vSAN can be configured to use different types of storage media, such as HDDs and SSDs, based on the performance and capacity requirements of the VMs.

Real-life example

There are several examples of organizations in the scientific, research, and government sectors using Intel Optane technology to improve the performance of their high-performance computing (HPC) workloads.

  • CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, has been using Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory in its data center to improve the performance of its data-intensive workloads. The organization reported that by using Optane DC Persistent Memory, they were able to reduce their data transfer times by up to 90% and improve the overall efficiency of their data processing pipeline.
  • The National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been using Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory in its supercomputers to improve the performance of their HPC workloads. The organization reported that by using Optane DC Persistent Memory, they were able to improve the performance of their scientific simulations by up to 50%.
  • The National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has been using Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory in its supercomputers to improve the performance of its HPC workloads. The organization reported that by using Optane DC Persistent Memory, they were able to improve the performance of their scientific simulations by up to 35%.
  • The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been using Intel Optane DC Persistent Memory in its supercomputers to improve the performance of its HPC workloads. The organization reported that by using Optane DC Persistent Memory, they were able to improve the performance of their weather and climate simulations by up to 30%.

Conclusion

Intel Optane technology is a game-changing technology that offers a significant boost in performance and efficiency compared to traditional storage solutions. It utilizes 3D XPoint technology, which allows for faster data access and transfer speeds, higher endurance, and lower power consumption compared to traditional NAND flash memory. Optane technology can be used in conjunction with traditional NAND-based storage solutions to form a hybrid storage solution, which provides the best of both worlds, fast access to frequently used data, and lower cost per GB for large amounts of data.

Optane technology is well suited for a variety of applications such as data centers, high-performance computing, gaming, and content creation. Real-life success stories from different sectors have shown that Optane technology can improve the performance of various types of applications, including virtualized environments, financial modeling, HPC workloads, and content creation. Organizations such as CERN, NCSA, NERSC, and NOAA have been using Intel Optane technology to improve the performance of their HPC workloads.

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