Stevenson describes the architecture as a "super-edge/core-edge" design. At the core of the SAN will be two 12000s. At the "super edge," the initial buildout is expected to include 12 12000 switches, in dual-fabric configurations, connected to Nielsen's storage arrays and tape backup libraries. The company expects to deploy 12 3900s (also in dual-fabric configuration) for server connectivity.
"Each of the storage frames we're putting in has up to 70 Fibre Channel ports -- that means you're beyond the 32-port mark," he says. "So we're doing two 12000s per storage row."
Nielsen's primary storage systems suppliers are EMC Corp. (NYSE: EMC) and Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW). The company's SAN-attached storage consists of Sun-branded Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) Lightning 9960 and 9980 systems; three EMC Clariion CX600s; and Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) EMA 1000 and 1200 systems. In its SAN lab, Nielsen is running boxes from EMC, Hitachi, and Storage Technology Corp. (StorageTek) (NYSE: STK).
Managing that heterogeneous mix can be a real challenge, Stevenson concedes. "It can get overwhelming on the provisioning side."
To help get its arms around the whole shebang -- and to assist with the move to the new data center facility -- Nielsen is using AppIQ's SAN management software.
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