Recently I've completed extensive IBM training on their portfolio of products. I am particularly interested in their IBM FlashSystems that in my opinion provide greater resiliency capacity reliability and performance than any other vendors product on the market today.
Whilst every other vendor uses a controller on a backplane. The approach IBM took is for each Flash Core Module FCM4 module to have an integrated controller built into the NVMe drives. This unique approach delivers several outstanding features that no other vendor can compete with. For example, all FCM4 modules are FIPS 140-3 level certified, these certifications alone take 2 years to complete.
Active Threat Detection
They also feature ransomware protection that can instantly prevent external hackers from stealing your data. FlashSystem uses machine learning to monitor in real-time suspicious and unusual behaviours and actively prevents and halts further damage occurring to the FlashSystem.
IBM Safeguarded Copy
Another feature is the IBM FlashSystem can create immutable snapshots of data every 60 seconds. In the event of a ransomware attack you can roll back 1 minute ago and continue operating.
Hybrid Cloud Integration
FlashSystem is designed to seamlessly integrate with hybrid cloud environments, allowing organisations to leverage both on-premise and cloud storage resources.
IBM FlashCore Module Storage Density
Some of these unique features include having a storage density three times greater than any other competing product by using built-in hardware accelerated data compression. What does this translate in real world usage? For example, a 38.4TB FCM4 NVMe module could effectively and efficiently store 115.2TB a 3:1 compression ratio.
FlashSystem Performance
You would think that by having all this functionality compression, ransomware detection, immutable snapshots and encryption of data at rest that performance is going to take a hit.
A huge, albeit less obvious benefit of the FCM, is its greatly enhanced flash endurance that delivers up to 7 times greater flash endurance than an industry-standard, commodity SSD. This translates to fewer issues for clients that do not have to be spent dealing with failing SSDs and drive rebuilds.
Enterprise storage has evolved beyond a simple measure of capacity. It now consists of a strategic blend of hardware acceleration, software services, cyber-resilience, and hybrid-cloud compatibility. IBM's FlashSystem family is designed to excel in this complex landscape. This collection goes beyond a single product and instead offers a range of options that include IBM's specially engineered flash drives known as FlashCore Modules, an integrated virtualisation and data-services layer called IBM Spectrum Virtualize, cloud-powered analytics and telemetry through IBM Storage Insights, and various integrations that enable organisations to modernise without the need for a complete overhaul. In the following section, we will delve into the core architecture and highlight the distinctive features that set FlashSystem apart in today's saturated all-flash market.
The primary focus of FlashSystem is to provide top-notch performance with low latency and high I/O throughput, along with advanced data services such as compression, encryption, replication, snapshots, and virtualisation. IBM's strategy involves integrating hardware innovation (FlashCore Modules and NVMe fabrics) with software intelligence (Spectrum Virtualize and cloud analytics). This collaborative design philosophy is a central theme throughout the platform and is a key factor in its touted benefits.
FlashCore Modules (FCMs) with integrated hardware
The IBM FlashCore Module (FCM) is a key component of the FlashSystem, combining both hardware and computational storage. These specialised NVMe SSDs are unique to IBM and contain advanced flash management and hardware acceleration capabilities within the drive. Designed for low microsecond latencies, FCMs also offer built-in performance-neutral hardware compression and sophisticated wear-management features for enhanced durability. Additionally, the modules utilise Variable Stripe RAID to minimise rebuild impact in case of chip failures. With data reduction and flash management occurring within each module, the FlashSystem maintains high levels of efficiency without sacrificing latency.
The importance of this lies in the fact that while most systems provide software compression, it often comes at the expense of CPU and latency. However, by utilising computational storage, IBM is able to minimise this trade-off and provide increased effective capacity and endurance without sacrificing the desired low latency for flash applications.
FlashSystem utilises NVMe throughout its various models, incorporating FCMs and industry-specific NVMe drives in the internal arrays while also offering front-end options for NVMe-over-Fabric. This setup is designed for consistent performance with microsecond-level latency, making it perfect for demanding applications such as high-performance databases, real-time analytics, VDI, and latency-sensitive virtualised workloads. The product line ranges from compact 1U NVMe boxes for entry-level or edge environments to larger rack-scale systems that can achieve impressive petabytes of effective capacity when coupled with data reduction technology.
IBM Spectrum Virtualize provides a wide range of advanced data services and seamless modernisation, setting itself apart from the competition. Integrated within FlashSystem arrays is Spectrum Virtualize, which utilises the same virtualisation technology previously only found in SAN Volume Controllers. This enables administrators to access enterprise-level features like thin provisioning, snapshots, Safeguarded Copy (immutable snapshots), remote replication, data migration, and heterogeneous virtualisation of arrays from other vendors. Additionally, FlashSystem offers inline data reduction as part of its platform. With the ability to virtualise external arrays, FlashSystem serves as a central hub for upgrading outdated storage systems without disrupting operations through costly rip-and-replace migrations.
One major advantage is that FlashSystem allows for the enhancement of workloads, while also maintaining previous investments in older arrays. Spectrum Virtualize serves as a bridge and feature parity layer in this process.
To maximise efficiency and maintain speed, flash economics rely heavily on data reduction. IBM's strategy consists of two parts: utilising hardware acceleration in FCMs and implementing system-level algorithms in Spectrum Virtualize. This combination allows for powerful inline compression and deduplication without sacrificing throughput or latency. The hardware compression featured in FCMs is especially beneficial as it does not impact performance; the compression takes place within the module rather than through the host controller, enabling higher capacities (terabytes of logical capacity with less raw flash) while maintaining consistent speed.
When it comes to cyber threats, enterprises are constantly considering ways to enhance their resilience. That is why FlashSystem offers a range of features such as Safeguarded Copy and detection capabilities. Safeguarded Copy, for instance, allows for immutable snapshots that cannot be affected by standard administrative or ransomware actions. This enables a quick and reliable way to restore data to a known good state. Along with this snapshot functionality, IBM also integrates FlashSystem's telemetry with IBM Storage Insights, providing proactive health monitoring and anomaly detection through cloud analytics. And it doesn't stop there - IBM has also improved detection capabilities by analysing I/O patterns and system behaviour to identify potential threats early on. Together with the existing safeguarded snapshots and recovery processes, this platform goes beyond traditional storage solutions by offering built-in resilience tools.
Storage Insights by IBM is a cloud-based tool that uses analytics to gather data from FlashSystem arrays. This allows for the detection of performance issues, prediction of potential component failures, and generation of recommendations for administrators. Through this service, administrators can benefit from automated case creation, firmware suggestions, capacity and performance projections, and insights into the life cycle of on-premises arrays. Additionally, the cloud lens feature facilitates policy management for hybrid deployments, particularly when incorporating FlashSystem arrays into a hybrid cloud approach.
The concept of scaling, clustering and utilising a "grid" structure have been prominent in recent generations of Spectrum Virtualize and FlashSystem. These systems offer both scale-up options, such as larger enclosures and more drives, as well as scale-out capabilities through clustered or grid-like arrangements of arrays. This allows for organisations to begin with smaller capacities and seamlessly expand to much larger effective volumes, as shown in IBM's documentation and product guides with configurations supporting thousands of drives across clustered systems. Equally important is the ability to transfer data between arrays without disruption (online mobility) and evenly distribute workloads across systems, which is crucial for maintenance schedules and integrating with cloud environments.
The FlashSystem arrays provide both data encryption and secure key management integrations for encryption at rest. Additionally, the FCMs include safeguards against unauthorised firmware changes to maintain the integrity of the storage device chain. These protections are crucial in meeting compliance and risk requirements in regulated environments. For optimal deployment, it is recommended that administrators pair array encryption with external key management to ensure separation of duties.
Key components for businesses: replication, snapshots, and diversified virtualisation. In the enterprise purchasing process, what can truly make a difference is the robustness of data services. With FlashSystem, all needs are met disaster recovery through both synchronous and asynchronous replication, reliable backups and test/dev with continuous cloning and snapshotting capabilities, and the option to present virtualised volumes from external arrays using heterogeneous virtualisation. These renowned features have been a crucial part of IBM's storage offerings for quite some time now - only on FlashSystem do they come with the high-speed performance and dependability that customers have come to expect from all-flash solutions.
In today's business landscape, it is becoming increasingly common for companies to utilise both on-premises and cloud-based systems. This is where FlashSystem shines, as it seamlessly integrates with various modern workloads such as VMware stacks, container platforms, and cloud management tools. Thanks to IBM's advanced management capabilities and APIs, tasks such as automated placement and orchestration can be easily achieved. The Spectrum Virtualize layer also streamlines the movement of data between cloud targets and backup repositories. All in all, this ensures a smooth experience for DevOps teams and simplifies cloud-native deployments.
One of the primary goals for our customers is to achieve both performance and operational simplicity. In order to meet this need, FlashSystem has implemented a single management system (Spectrum Virtualize GUI/CLI + Storage Insights) that handles many low-level tuning tasks behind the scenes. This includes drive-level optimisations, automatic data rebalancing, and prescriptive guidance from Storage Insights. The end result is an easier operational process with less reliance on custom scripts and manual intervention, while still providing the necessary options for specialised tuning.
Its ideal fit is for businesses seeking reliable low latency, efficient data reduction without compromising performance, secure cyber-resilience, and the option to modernise seamlessly. Workloads that typically see advantages include: high-volume transaction databases (OLTP), large-scale virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), demanding analytics tasks, and mixed virtualised environments prioritising consolidation and legacy array migration. For those in search of on-premises "cloud-like" storage capabilities, the integrated cloud analytics and virtualisation capabilities of FlashSystem are highly attractive.
When it comes to technology, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. While proprietary FlashCore Modules offer many benefits, they may also present procurement challenges due to differences in drive support and replacement policies compared to commodity SSDs. To ensure the best decision, organisations should carefully assess the total cost of ownership (TCO) by considering realistic data reduction ratios (as vendor-provided numbers may be overly optimistic without testing in your specific workload) and factoring in the effort of integrating key management, orchestration, and backup processes. Additionally, while IBM's telemetry and AI services can be valuable, certain customers may have restrictions on using cloud telemetry. In such cases, it is advisable to explore on-prem alternatives and any available data-privacy features before making a final decision.
IBM FlashSystem is not just a basic "array." Instead, it encompasses a range of components such as engineered NVMe drives (known as FlashCore Modules), an advanced virtualisation layer called Spectrum Virtualize, and cloud analytics through Storage Insights. This complete platform is specifically designed to deliver exceptional performance, efficiency, and resilience. By leveraging hardware-accelerated compression in the FCMs, comprehensive virtualisation and data services, and added security features like immutable snapshots and anomaly detection, along with seamless integration with hybrid-cloud environments, enterprises upgrading their storage capabilities can benefit greatly from this unique offering.
