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FlashSystem 9500

IBM Storage FlashSystem 9500
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High-end performance for demanding workloads

IBM Storage FlashSystem 9500 combines IBM FlashCore® Modules, NVMe architecture and AI-powered features for unrivaled performance. Part of the FlashSystem family, the 9500 delivers extreme speed and simplicity for the most demanding enterprise workloads. It also protects your enterprise operations with IBM Cyber Vault for security and IBM HyperSwap® for business continuity. 

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Features
High performance redundancy

Up to 4.5 Petabytes of effective data storage in an efficient 4U storage enclosure drawer with networked-based replication across 3 sites to prevent a single point of failure.

Scalable for environments of any size

Smart, self-optimizing containerized solution is easily managed, enabling organizations to overcome storage challenges as they grow.

Affordable, high-value solution

High-density tiers of flash storage in an affordable package includes compression, new QLC flash-based technology and AI-powered predictive analytics.

Agile integration

Migrate data with fully integrated system management, application-aware data services and high-value features such as FIPS 140-3 Level 1 encryption, full hot-swap and powerful, efficient inline compression capabilities.

Hybrid cloud enabled

Benefit from hybrid cloud storage capabilities to increase business agility.

Cyber resilient to the core

The new technology enabled by FlashCore Module 4 (FCM4) is designed to continuously monitor statistics gathered from every single I/O using machine learning models to detect anomalies like ransomware in less than a minute..1

Strong security

Proprietary IBM FlashCore modules provide high-capacity storage for greater space and processing efficiency and stronger security.

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Specifications

Single enclosure product specifications:

  1. 2 Controller modules
  2. 12 PCIe G4 Interface Card Slots per enclosure: 32 Gb and 16 Gb FC, 25 Gb Ethernet, and 10 Gb Ethernet ports are available for FC and iSCSI connectivity with optional 12Gb SAS ports for host attachment and expansion enclosure attachments
  3. RJ45 Management Ports
  4. Hot swappable, multiple ride PSU batteries

Maximum bandwidth (reads): 100 GB per second
Response times (reads): < 50 microseconds
Effective maximum capacity within single enclosure*: 6.60 PBe (4U enclosure)
Processor/PCIe Gen: Intel Ice Lake, Gen 4 PCIe
Maximum front-end host ports: 48
FlashCore module capacities supported: 4.8, 9.6, 19.2 and 38.4 TB
Storage class memory drive capacities supported: 1.6 TB

Use cases:

  • SAP
  • Oracle
  • Server and desktop virtualization
  • Production database
  • Containers
  • In-memory database
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Flash Grid product specifications2

IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300

IBM Storage FlashSystem 7300

IBM Storage FlashSystem 9500

Maximum bandwidth (reads)

228 GB per second

400 GB per second

800 GB per second

Effective maximum capacity2

12.1 PBe (8U Flash Grid)

27.1 PBe (16U Flash Grid)

52.8 PBe (32U Flash Grid)

Maximum I/O ports

128

256

384

Single enclosure product specifications

IBM Storage FlashSystem 5000

IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300

IBM Storage FlashSystem 7300

IBM Storage FlashSystem 9500

Maximum bandwidth (reads)

12 GB per second

28.6 GB per second

50 GB per second

100 GB per second

Response times (reads)

< 70 microseconds

< 50 microseconds

< 50 microseconds

< 50 microseconds

Maximum I/O ports within a single enclosure

8

16

24

48

Effective maximum capacity within a single enclosure6

573 TBe (2U enclosure)

1.51 PBe (1U enclosure)4

3.39 PBe (2U enclosure)

6.60 PBe (4U enclosure)

FlashCore Module capacities supported

Not applicable (supports industry standard drives)

4.8, 9.6, 19.2 and 38.4 TB

4.8, 9.6, 19.2 and 38.4 TB

4.8, 9.6, 19.2 and 38.4 TB

Use cases

- Server and desktop virtualization
- Production and development databases
- Containers
- Data center edge

- SAP
- Oracle
- Server and desktop virtualization
- Production database
- Containers
- Workload consolidation

- SAP
- Oracle
- Server and desktop virtualization
- Production database
- Containers
- In-memory database

- SAP
- Oracle
- Server and desktop virtualization
- Production database
- Containers
- In-memory database

Explore IBM Storage FlashSystem 5000 Explore IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 Explore IBM Storage FlashSystem 7300 Explore IBM Storage FlashSystem 9500
Next steps

Contact an advisor to get help configuring an IBM Storage FlashSystem for your business needs.

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Footnotes

1 Assuming Flash Grid contains 8 devices with the same configuration. Flash Grids can contain a mix of different models and configurations.

2 Assuming 5:1 Data Reduction

Based on comparable configurations between IBM FlashSystem and a 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant report participant: https://community.ibm.com/community/user/storage/blogs/chelsey-gosse/2023/09/20/2023-gartner-magic-quadrant-primary-storage. Each comparison was at the same temperature, memory, and core frequencies with comparable raw capacities and system performances. For each configuration, the power of the devices were estimated with engineering calculations from the typical power withdraw of the CPUs, drives and components on each of the devices.   Based on information from:  https://www.manua.ls/dell/powermax-2000/manual (link resides outside ibm.com); https://www.delltechnologies.com/asset/en-au/products/storage/technical-support/dell-powerstore-gen2-spec-sheet.pdf (link resides outside ibm.com); https://www.sanstorageworks.com/PowerMax-8000.asp (link resides outside ibm.com).

4 Results based on 1U control enclosure: 12 drives of 38.4TB each = 460.8TB configured in a 9+Q+P DRAID-6 array, after RAID overhead and metadata provisioning, deliver 301.56TB of usable capacity, with a 3:1 compression and 1.67:1 deduplication ratio equal 1.51PB of effective capacity.

5 Internal experimentation by IBM Research has demonstrated detection of ransomware within 1 minute of the ransomware starting its encryption process. This experiment was done on a FlashSystem 5200 with 6 FCMs with the 4.1 firmware load. The 5200 had 8.6.3 GA level software loaded. The host connected to the 5200 was running Linux with XFS Filesystem. In this particular case, the IBM ransomware simulator called WannaLaugh was used. Underlying system must be compatible with FCM4.1 and version 8.6.3 GA level software loaded in order to receive results obtained.