Storage Area Networking

Expert design and deployment of Cisco MDS-based FibreChannel SAN environments, delivering high-performance, highly available storage connectivity for mission-critical applications and all-flash array implementations.

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Storage Area Networking

What it is

Cisco MDS 9000 Series provides enterprise-grade Fibre Channel storage networking with 64G-capable speeds, high performance for NVMe/FC and all-flash storage, integrated analytics, and industry-leading port density. Our SAN services cover the complete design and deployment of Fibre Channel fabrics, including switch configuration, zoning strategies, performance optimization, and integration with storage arrays and compute platforms.

Who it's for

  • Enterprise Data Centers: Organizations requiring mission-critical storage connectivity for production databases and applications
  • Vitualized Environments: Companies using hypervisors with SAN-based datastores requiring high-performance storage access
  • Database Administrators: Teams supporting SQL Server, Oracle, or SAP environments with demanding I/O requirements
  • All-Flash Array Deployments: Organizations implementing NVMe/FC or high-performance flash storage systems
  • Compliance-Driven Industries: Financial services, healthcare, and regulated industries requiring secure, reliable storage networks
  • Large-Scale Virtualization: Enterprises running thousands of VMs requiring scalable, low-latency storage connectivity

Problems it solves

  • Storage Performance Bottlenecks: Eliminates slow storage access impacting application performance
  • Availability Requirements: Provides redundant, highly available storage connectivity for zero-downtime operations
  • Management Complexity: Simplifies SAN administration through unified management and automation
  • Scalability Constraints: Enables growth from small fabrics to large-scale, multi-fabric environments
  • Security Concerns: Implements proper zoning and access control protecting storage resources
  • Troubleshooting Challenges: Provides integrated analytics and telemetry for rapid problem identification and resolution
  • Legacy Protocol Support: Maintains backward compatibility while supporting modern NVMe/FC workloads
How our solution works

Step 1 - Discovery & Assessment

We evaluate your storage requirements, application I/O profiles, capacity and growth needs, and existing infrastructure. Assessment includes storage array inventory, host connectivity requirements, performance baselines, redundancy and availability requirements, and compliance considerations.

Step 2 - Proposal & Design

We develop comprehensive SAN designs including fabric topology (single fabric, dual fabric, or multi-fabric), switch specifications and placement, zoning architecture and naming conventions, port allocation and growth planning, VSANs for multi-tenancy, and integration with UCS and storage arrays.

Step 3 - Implementation & Delivery

Our storage networking experts deploy your SAN infrastructure including MDS switch installation and configuration, fabric zoning implementation, VSAN configuration, storage array and host integration, multipath configuration and optimization, performance validation and tuning, and complete documentation.

Step 4 - Optimization & Ongoing Support

We provide ongoing performance monitoring with integrated analytics, capacity planning and expansion guidance, firmware lifecycle management, troubleshooting support, and optional managed services for proactive monitoring and maintenance.

What You Get (Deliverables)

  • SAN Architecture Documentation: Complete fabric topology diagrams, switch configurations, and design specifications
  • Zoning Database: Documented zoning strategy with naming conventions and zone configurations
  • VSAN Design: Multi-tenant fabric segmentation documentation when applicable
  • Integration Documentation: Host HBA configurations, multipath settings, and storage array connectivity
  • Performance Baseline: Initial performance metrics and capacity utilization reports
  • Operational Procedures: Day-to-day administration guides, zoning procedures, and troubleshooting guides
  • Training Materials: Customized training for storage administrators covering MDS operations

Benefits / Outcomes

  • Enhanced Performance: Support for 32G/64G Fibre Channel delivering ultra-low latency for demanding workloads
  • Maximum Uptime: Redundant fabric designs achieving 99.999% availability through proper redundancy
  • Improved Troubleshooting: Integrated SAN analytics reducing problem resolution time
  • Operational Efficiency: Reduction in zoning and provisioning time through automation and best practices
  • Better Visibility: Real-time monitoring and analytics providing insights into fabric health and performance
  • Investment Protection: Support for NVMe/FC and future protocols without hardware replacement
  • Reduced Risk: Proven, field-tested architectures eliminating design-related issues

Engagement Model / Pricing Style

Offered as fixed-price projects for defined scope deployments, or time-and-materials for complex, phased implementations. Can include optional subscription-based managed services for ongoing monitoring and administration. Custom quotes based on fabric size and complexity.

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