Array Features

Arrays provide features to enhance performance, value, and ease of use. The all-inclusive features described in this documentation do not require extra licensing.

Feature Function Benefit
Core Functionality
Dynamic Caching Reads active data from flash cache, which is populated on writes or first read Accelerates read operations, with sub-millisecond latency
Write-Optimized Data Layout Coalesces random writes and sequentially writes them to disk as a full stripe Accelerates writes as much as 100x, and gets sub-millisecond latency and optimal disk utilization
Universal Compression Always-on inline compression for all workloads Reduces capacity needs by 30-75%, depending on the workload, with no performance impact
Thin Provisioning Allocates disk space to a volume only as data is written; thin provision "stun" is supported to add greater flexibility Pools storage, shares free space, and maximizes utilization
Offloaded Data Transfer (ODX) for Windows Interacts with storage devices to move data through high-speed storage networks Improves file copy speed
Scale Performance Non-disruptively upgrade controllers or swap in higher capacity SSDs Scales performance to manage large amounts of active data
Scale Capacity Non-disruptively add external disk shelves Increases storage capacity to 100s of TB per system
Instant Snapshot and Recovery Backs up and restores data using point-in-time, space-efficient snapshots taken at regular intervals Retains months of frequent snapshots, which improves RPO with no performance impact. Eliminates backup windows and speeds up restores, which improves RTO.
WAN-efficient Replication Replicates the compressed data changes to the secondary site for disaster recovery Deploys affordable and verifiable disaster recovery and efficiently backs up remote sites over the WAN
VLAN Tagging Part of the 802.1Q frame header containing a VLAN ID between 1 and 4094 that identifies the VLAN to which the frame belongs Allows a switch to forward that frame only to the appropriate VLAN
Zero-Copy Clones Creates copies of existing active volumes without needing to copy data Creates clones in seconds and saves disk space, which is ideal for VDI and test/development environments
Host and Application Integration
Custom Application Profiles Predefined policies for block size, caching, compression, and data protection for Microsoft applications and VMware virtual machines Eliminates the need to manually tune storage and data protection configurations
Windows VSS Enablement HPE Storage Driver for the Microsoft VSS framework for consistent backup Takes application-consistent backups and simplifies data protection for Exchange and SQL Server
VMware Integration Monitors, provisions, and takes snapshots from VMware vCenter Manages storage from vCenter and takes consistent backups of virtual machines
VMware Site Recovery Manager Adapter Supports disaster recovery automation for VMware including failover/failback Simplifies disaster recovery, including testing failover/failback
Management and Support
Proactive Wellness and DNA Real-time monitoring and analysis; sends alerts on critical issues Spots and remedies potential issues to maximize uptime, performance, and utilization (no user data is accessed or collected by DNA)
Secure Remote Support Allows remote troubleshooting, configuration, and problem resolution Reduces burden on IT staff and quickly resolves problems
Non-Disruptive Upgrades Upgrades software with no disruption to applications Maximizes uptime and user productivity through continuous availability
NOTE: Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO) are among the most important parameters of a disaster recovery plan.
  • RPO: The point-in-time to which systems and data must be recovered after an outage. The interval reflects the amount of data loss a business can survive.
  • RTO: The amount of time it takes to recover systems and data after an outage. The interval reflects the amount of downtime a business can survive.

For RPO and RTO, a shorter time interval is better.