As vSAN (virtual storage area network) adoption grows, optimizing performance is critical. DymaxIO®, with its patented IntelliMemory® and IntelliWrite® technologies, enhances vSAN by reducing unnecessary I/O operations before they reach the storage layer. While vSAN manages the virtualized storage backend, DymaxIO ensures efficient use of these resources from the front end, preventing performance bottlenecks.

DymaxIO’s ability to optimize data placement and leverage memory-based caching at the OS level isn’t limited to physical disks. Its benefits extend to virtual environments like vSAN, where faster data retrieval, reduced latency, and minimized strain on network resources are crucial. By optimizing I/O operations before they reach the virtual storage layer, DymaxIO ensures top performance in vSAN environments for several key reasons:

IntelliMemory Read I/O Optimization Technology:
  1. Memory-based Caching on the OS Level: IntelliMemory operates by leveraging unused server memory (RAM) to cache frequently accessed data. This happens at the Windows OS level, well before I/O operations reach the vSAN layer. By reducing the number of I/O requests that actually hit the storage layer (whether it’s physical or virtual), IntelliMemory can improve the overall performance of applications running on virtualized environments, such as those using vSAN.
  2. Latency Reduction: Even in vSAN environments, where data is stored across multiple servers and nodes, there is still latency involved in retrieving data. IntelliMemory reduces the need to access data stored in the vSAN by caching it in-memory on the system itself, reducing the time to access frequently used data and improving application performance.
  3. Less vSAN Overhead: Although vSAN can manage data across different hosts, it still introduces overhead in network and storage operations. By offloading I/O operations to the memory cache at the OS level, DymaxIO prevents unnecessary trips to the storage backend, reducing this overhead and freeing up network resources.

IntelliMemory Read I/O Optimization Technology

IntelliWrite Write Optimization Technology:
  1. Optimized Data Placement on the Virtual Disk: IntelliWrite prevents file fragmentation at the source by writing data more efficiently to the virtual disk. Even in a vSAN environment, where data might be spread across different nodes and storage devices, this optimization helps reduce fragmentation of data blocks on the virtual storage layer.
  2. Reduced I/O at the OS Level: Fragmented data increases the number of I/O operations required to read and write files. By ensuring that files are written contiguously at the Windows OS level, IntelliWrite minimizes the I/O load, benefiting the virtual storage subsystem (vSAN) by reducing the strain on the network and virtualized storage resources.

IntelliWrite Write Optimization Technology

How This Applies to vSAN:
  • vSAN adds a virtualized storage layer, but the underlying performance of the OS is still critical. DymaxIO’s technologies focus on optimizing I/O performance before it ever reaches the vSAN, ensuring the virtual storage environment is not overloaded with unnecessary I/O operations.
  • Redundancy and data distribution in vSAN benefit from having fewer I/O requests passed down from the OS. By reducing these requests via in-memory caching (IntelliMemory) and more efficient writes (IntelliWrite), vSAN’s storage performance is enhanced, making DymaxIO a complement to vSAN’s architecture rather than redundant.

Jeremy Hill, Director of IT Systems at Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. (PRMI), noted a remarkable decrease in hard drive failures since DymaxIO’s installation in a recent case study. In the past two years, Jeremy’s team replaced only 4 vSAN hard drives, a stark contrast to the typical 2 to 3 replacements per month in a comparable environment without DymaxIO: “This reduction in hardware failures is a clear indicator that the I/O load on our backend storage has significantly decreased, thanks to DymaxIO. This stands in contrast to other environments lacking I/O optimization, where hardware failures occur more frequently due to increased I/O load.” This real-world validation highlights how DymaxIO can dramatically reduce I/O strain and improve infrastructure resilience in virtualized environments like vSAN.

In summary, DymaxIO’s IntelliMemory and IntelliWrite technologies work at the OS and application level to optimize I/O performance before it even reaches the storage layer. This proactive approach reduces unnecessary I/O demands, enhancing overall system efficiency. Whether your environment uses physical disks or virtual storage like vSAN, DymaxIO ensures smoother data retrieval, reduced latency, and minimal strain on network resources. By optimizing both read and write operations, DymaxIO delivers significant performance gains, making it a powerful solution for any storage setup.

Experience the benefits of DymaxIO firsthand by downloading our free 30-day fully functional evaluation software. See how IntelliMemory and IntelliWrite can enhance your vSAN environment, improve application performance, and reduce the strain on your infrastructure, allowing you to maximize the efficiency of your storage resources.