vNet SAS Focus Group
for NextIO
Cheryl Parker
IT Brand Pulse
cheryl.parker@itbrandpulse.com
www.itbrandpulse.com

Project Overview
2
NextIO is developing a shared SAS add-on capability for our vNET I/O virtualization product (herein called “vNET
SAS”). vNET SAS will use a pair of MR-IOV SAS RAID controllers from LSI (currently under development) in either one
or two chassis; the RAID controllers would share a single set of drives (e.g., they would be multi-homed to form an HA
pair). This would allow hosts connected to a vNET to share a set of drives (see attached diagram). We expect that
vNET SAS will have a significantly different value proposition and market than our existing vNET product, which is
focused on virtualizing Ethernet and Fibre Channel resources.
Purpose: The goal of this market validation study is to:
Identify pain point(s) that this product would solve;
Allows for diskless (e.g. stateless) servers without having to utilize more expensive SAN or NAS devices;
Provides low-cost rack-level storage for clustered applications;
Provides local storage for VMotion between servers in a rack.
Identify markets (or other demographics) where these pain points would be relevant;
MSP market
Internet Service Providers
Finance
Government
Identify key features within each of those markets/demographic segments for the product.
NextIO believes that the MegaRAID software provides all of the features we need except for multi-
homing (which LSI is going to provide to us).

Pre-Focus Group Survey
3
Summary Analysis of Survey Recommendations for Focus Group
Deployment of rack domains (and solutions for rack
domains) is more prevalent in large enterprises.
Get consensus that members of the groups are
building “rack domains,” and why. This defines our
playing field.
Large enterprises are the path of least resistance
since 2/3 said the ROI was worth migrating, while
only 1/3 of SMBs agreed. Get consensus that everyone agrees with
advantages of vNet SAS based on a detailed cost
comparison of OpEx and CapEx vs. Fibre Channel
and vs. iSCSI SANs.
The roadmap to success is convincing Large and
Small Enterprises that the savings are real. Over
half of both groups agree they would consider
Shared IO technology if they could achieve 40-60%
savings.
There is a high degree of awareness among
large/HPC enterprises regarding all storage
technologies, including Shared IO, with almost 2/3
saying the technology has been presented to them.
Get consensus on why group members have not
deployed shared IO, ROI not sufficient, or
technology deficient. Our theory is they have not
deployed shared IO because their trusted vendors
have invested time investigating only SANs.
Responses from SMBs indicate a preference to
expand the coverage of their SANs today and in the
future.

Goal - Strong Endorsements for:
• Pervasiveness of environments which vNet SAS is
well-suited for (environments where TOR switches
and storage are deployed)
• Advantages of vNet SAS (based on a detailed cost
comparison of OpEx and CapEx vs. Fibre Channel and
vs. iSCSI SANs)
• The reason they are not deploying Shared IO
(because they are focused on SAN – not because of
technical or ROI issues)
4

NextIO Focus Group Framework
• Size and Duration
– 6 to 8 people in a session lasting about 3 hours
• Preparation
– Agenda with a list of the top-level issues
– Introduction script explaining the purpose of the day and how the day will be run
• Customer Benefits
– An early look at, and influence over, product strategy and direction
– An opportunity to interact with peers
– Access to special promotional programs
• Objectives & Outcomes
– Establishing objectives upfront gives your event a clear focus, helps keep your
discussions on track, and ensures that you achieve your desired outcomes.
– For example, you might want to test the soundness of a new services strategy
and end up with strong endorsements from at least 80% of participants.
• Reporting
– A report containing minutes for each session and relevant profile information
about the people who attended the session
– Communicate back to participants the actions taken

OC Focus Group
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Name Title Company
Mike Pruett Manager, IT ISTA Pharmaceuticals
Jeff Rapini Enterprise Manager St Joseph Medical Center
Justin Lutsky IT Manager Chapman University
Dan Leonard IT Manager Chapman University
Dan Heller NAS/SAN IT Consultant Mission Viejo Animal Shelter
Jerry Humble IT Director Penhall Company

San Diego Focus Group
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Name Title Company
Paul Vasquez District Network Specialist San Diego Community College District
Kyle E. Murley Systems Integrator San Diego State University
Randy Krzyston Director IT Operations Thomas Jefferson School of Law
James Cooper CIO Thomas Jefferson School of Law
Ron Nash OS Analyst San Diego State University
Dan Woodard IT Manager IQ Analog
Matt Diener IT Manager ParAccel

Focus Group Findings
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Key Findings
• Unlike the aided awareness survey where a significant percentage of respondents recognized
shared IO vendors, none of the respondents knew about the technology or recognized any of the
vendors.
• Everyone recognized the benefits of consolidating expensive network adapters and Shared IO.
• Pod / TOR topology for networking (shared IO) is a seamless addition to existing data center
fabric.
• Proposed breakeven at 5-6 servers for a Shared IO solution is attractive.
• Pod / TOR topology for storage is disruptive to existing data center SAN and NAS layouts.
• Pod / TOR for networking and storage is inherently a good fit for a cluster topology.
• Good fit for ParAccel database application where 2-3 clusters on a SAN causes SAN performance
to drop.
• Proposed price of under $100K for storage solution is considered out of the league of SMB
participants.
• It was not intuitive to participants that vNet SAS is practical as a general purpose add-on storage
solution in their existing data centers. However, the capabilities of LSI adapters created interest
in vNet SAS as a cost-effective, “application–specific,” DR solution or cluster solution.
• Greenfield situations, where all new infrastructure is needed, allow for new and different
approaches for general purpose storage.
• San Diego State University admin wants VAAI and VASA support like he has for his Dell iSCSI
storage so he can manage heterogeneous storage and IO from a single pane of glass.
• San Diego State University admin wants VAAI and VASA support included. He does not like
having to ask for the software to implement the feature.
• In a greenfield situation, it would be easier to make a buying decision for shared IO or vNet SAS,
if channel partners delivered “black-box” solutions combining servers, storage, IO, cables, etc.
• Participants expressed the importance of references in their buying decision.
9

Unlike the aided-awareness survey where a significant
percentage of respondents recognized shared IO vendors,
none of the respondents knew about the technology or
recognized any of the vendors
10

Pod / TOR topology for storage is disruptive to existing
data center SAN and NAS layouts
11

It was not intuitive to participants that vNet SAS is practical as a
general purpose add-on storage solution in their existing data
centers. However, the capabilities of LSI adapters created interest in
vNet SAS as a cost-effective, “application–specific,” DR solution
12

In a greenfield situation, it would be easier to make a
buying decision for shared IO or vNet SAS, if channel
partners delivered “black-box” solutions combining
servers, storage, IO, cables, etc.
13

In a greenfield situation, it would be easier to make a
buying decision for shared IO or vNet SAS, if channel
partners delivered “black-box” solutions combining
servers, storage, IO, cables, etc.
14

In a greenfield situation, it would be easier to make a
buying decision for shared IO or vNet SAS, if channel
partners delivered “black-box” solutions combining
servers, storage, IO, cables, etc.
15

Good fit for ParAccel database application where 2-3
clusters on a SAN cause SAN performance to drop
16

Proposed price of under $100K for storage solution is
considered out of the league of SMB participants
17

San Diego State University admin wants VAAI and VASA support like
he has for his Dell iSCSI storage – so he can manage heterogeneous
storage and IO from a single pane of glass He wants VAAI and VASA
support included – he does not like having to ask for the software to
implement the feature.
18

References are important in their buying decision
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