Data Sheet

The Standard for High-End Storage

Breakthrough architecture surpasses all
other designs, anticipates technology
advances, maximizes ROI, keeps TCO low
Unrivaled, scalable performance to match
todaysand tomorrowsmost mission-
critical, high-growth, always-available
applications
Bet-your-business information availabili-
ty and system reliability through proven
architectural, hardware, software, diag-
nostic, and service innovations
Full complement of the worlds most
extensive and functionally-rich suite of
proven storage, SAN, NAS, and informa-
tion management software
Exceptional economics through flexible,
scalable packaging for low-cost entry to
high-end capabilities
Backed by the computer and storage
industrys consistently number-one-
ranked services organization
The Big Picture
EMC Symmetrix DMX Series
Stepping up to a world of no excuses
Absolute applicationsthose with the most stringent bet-your-business service-level and
availability requirementsdemand absolute storage systems. EMC meets this need with
the highest performing, most functionally capable, competitively priced high-end net-
worked storage systems ever offeredthe Symmetrix

Direct Matrix (DMX) series.

Symmetrix DMX is the information storage industrys recognized standard for perform-
ance, capability, and investment protection. Its future-proof architecture, unsurpassed
performance, and full complement of powerful EMC and third-party-provided software
tools define what you needand expectfrom high-end networked information storage
systems. Absolutely.
Symmetrix DMXa storage architecture for the next decade
The Symmetrix Direct Matrix Architecture was designed to surmount the barriers to
throughput, bandwidth, scalability, and response time of traditional storage systems. In
part, it accomplishes this through up to 128 direct, dedicated pathsno performance-
impeding buses or switchesbetween channel directors and global memory. Each dedi-
cated path has a bandwidth of 500MB/s for a total system bandwidth of up to 64GB/s.
Enhanced cache director technology, acting on up to 128GB of global memory (with up to
32 independent regions), provides up to 32 concurrent 500MB/s paths through memory
up to 16GB/s aggregate throughputensuring rapid-fire transaction throughput
unmatched by any other information storage system. The result: your applications always
have the information they need, at the time they need it, without waiting. So more work
gets done in less time for greater enterprise value.
Symmetrix DMX is managed by multiple, powerful 500MHz PowerPC multiprocessors16
to 68 with Fibre Channel, FICON, Gigabit Ethernet, or iSCSI (an industry first for high-end
storage) connectivityall the way up to 116 with a full complement of ESCON connectivity,
and all operating under the direction of EMCs industrial-strength, open storage operating
system, Enginuity.
Enginuity is the most functionally rich storage software operating environment available
today, having been continually tested, enhanced, and proven in over 70,000 installations
to date in mainframe, open, and iSeries environments. While providing an ever-expanding
wealth of Symmetrix functionality, it also enables Symmetrix to connect to hundreds of
server types, dozens of operating systems and storage software products, and a broad
selection of the most popular network connectivity elements and other devices, ranging
from HBAs and drivers to switches and tape subsystems. Enginuity is also the common
thread that enables interoperationand further investment protectionbetween
Symmetrix DMX and previous generations of Symmetrix systems.
The DMX architectural design incorporates a two-gigabit (2Gb) Fibre Channel disk drive
infrastructure with 8 to 64 drive loops (4 to 32 redundant pairs) with a maximum of 18
drives per redundant pair; and eight-port, 2Gb Fibre Channel and ESCON directors for up
to 96 channel connections to over 8,000 network-connected hosts.
Predictable performance in an unpredictable world
High-end storage performance demands are growing faster than Moores Law (greater than
doubling every 18 months). This has mandated a storage system design capable of meet-
ing ever-more-intensive service level expectations. Symmetrix DMX is that design.
Symmetrix DMX is more than a match for todays processor-performance and I/O demands,
as well as for increasing storage consolidation needs. And Symmetrix DMX is uniquely
suited to business continuity and disaster protection requirements by enabling local and
remote replication of more data, in less time, and with less impact to operational perform-
ance and response times. Information storage systems based on past technologies, such
as buses and switches have barelyand often notbeen up to these challenges.
Symmetrix DMX, with its point-to-point connections, completely eliminates bus arbitration
and switching overhead delays present in other designs. Dedicated data paths mean no
switch contention and minimal latency in data getting from where it resides to where its
neededfast.
Symmetrix DMX is much, much more
than just another turn of the crank for
high-end storage. It represents an
opportunity for IT executives to rethink
their overall storage strategies and
allows for new opportunities for storage
consolidation, business continuity and
seamless storage management. With
Symmetrix DMX, IT execs now have
access to a level of flexibility, perform-
ance and economic control previously
unavailable in the enterprise storage
market.
Ed Broderick
Principal Analyst
Robert Frances Group
Up to 32 independent global memory regions, each with separate access logic, allow you
to apply as much or as little processing and access power as necessary for each applica-
tion. Heavy-demand applications can have their information requirements met by scaling
up access for higher performance. Less demanding applications can receive scaled down
access levels more appropriate to their needs.
The Symmetrix DMX Architecture is unique in its ability to sustain information throughput
and even absorb bursts in demand without performance degradation. With no bus or
switch contention creating slow-downs, your applications realize the maximum value of
Symmetrix DMX performance. The result: more work, done in less time, to serve more
users, for faster and better decision-making, and exceptional SLA attainment.
EMCs definition of high-end availabilitynon-disruptive everything
A breakthrough architecture and blistering performance are meaningless without uninter-
rupted information availability. Symmetrix DMX systems come standard with non-disrup-
tive everything. EMCs philosophy has always been to anticipate whatever might disrupt
information access and prevent it. Symmetrix DMX systems take this philosophy to an even
higher level.
The latest version of the Symmetrix DMX Enginuity operating environment offers enhanced
capabilities such as non-disruptive upgrades of Enginuity itselfno storage or application
downtime, even as Symmetrix functionality is enriched. Add to this non-disruptive
upgrades of EMC open software applications, non-disruptive storage configuration
changes, and non-disruptive serviceabilityall designed to ensure your access to vital
information is never in doubtand your service levels are never compromised.
At the system hardware level, EMC starts with the most reliable components available.
Then we add 100-percent internal redundancy to ensure that no single fault can stop the
flow of information. Multiple redundant power supplies connected to independent power
sources provide additional protection. Full-system battery backup ensures that all data is
safely destaged to disk before Symmetrix initiates an orderly shutdown in the event of
complete power loss. Additional reliability features include global hot-spare disks, com-
pensative cooling, and extensive environmental monitoring. And before each Symmetrix
DMX system is shipped, it undergoes rigorous heat, cold, vibration, and operational checks
to make sure it arrives fully functional at your data center.
The unique, patented, non-
blocking interconnect of
Symmetrix DMX totally elimi-
nates bus or switch contention.
Symmetrix DMX delivers four
times the bandwidth, five times
the processing power, and ten
times the global memory
throughput of the nearest com-
petitor.
At the software level, advanced integrity features ensure your information is always pro-
tected and available. A choice and mix of RAID 0, 1 (mirroring), 10, and high-performance
parity RAID (3+1 and 7+1) protection enables you to apply the protection level most appro-
priate to the value and performance requirements of your information.
The Symmetrix DMX architecture incorporates a messaging matrix and an environmental,
control, and status networkindependent from the data matrixto keep track of system
operational and health-check parameters without impeding the flow of data. End-to-end
data integrity validation and triple module redundancy with majority voting ensure your
information is not only always available, but also valid.
Continuous global memory and on-disk data integrity checking and error detection/cor-
rection, fault isolation, non-disruptive hardware and software upgrades, and automatic
diagnosis and phone-home capabilities round out the Symmetrix DMX on-board software
data integrity features. A variety of local and remote replication software options is avail-
able for business continuity and disaster recovery peace of mind.
Unmatched flexibility to handle any requirement, large or small
Symmetrix DMX system configuration options are as flexible as they are powerful and are
designed to meet any mix of workload, budgetary, performance, or capacity criteria. And as
the criteria evolvewhich they always doso too can Symmetrix, easily and economically.
Symmetrix DMX800economical, modular entry to high-end storage
The high-performance Symmetrix DMX800 model is the first modular, rack-mount version
of Symmetrixor of any high-end storage systemfor an economic entry point into high-
end capabilities and advantages.
The DMX800 is enclosed in an EMC-supplied, industry-standard 19-inch frame, enabling
configuration flexibility and freedom of choice by adding additional capacity and connec-
tivity as theyre needed.
The DMX800 can be configured with 8 to 120 drives for a total raw capacity of up to 17.5TB.
It includes 8 or 16 2Gb Fibre Channel drive ports, up to 16 2Gb Fibre Channel I/O ports, or 8
2Gb Fibre Channel ports with up to 4 FICON and/or Gigabit Ethernet or iSCSI ports. Global
memory can be from 4 to 32GB. System expansion is economically achieved within the stor-
age frame and by adding additional disk expansion chassis, up to the limits described.
The EMC DMX multi-protocol channel director/adapter, compatible with the DMX800 and all
other DMX models, provides unique connectivity configurability by allowing each of the two
or four ports to be individually configured as FICON for mainframe connectivity, Gigabit
Ethernet for remote mirroring over IP, or iSCSI.
The DMX800 is an ideal solution for consolidated storage for iSeries hosts, and its FICON
connectivity also makes it extremely cost-effective as mainframe storage. The DMX800 can
serve in dedicated, remote/distributed, or OEM applications that demand the power, func-
tionality, and non-stop availability of Symmetrix at a surprisingly affordable price. It can be
installed outside the data center and does not require raised-floor or dedicated-cooling
considerations. And through its easy and cost-effective expansion capabilities, the
DMX800 can grow with your applications for maximum return on investment (ROI) and the
lowest total cost of ownership (TCO).
Symmetrix DMX800
The industrys first modular, high-end,
high-performance storage system, the
Symmetrix DMX800 delivers all the
power, functionality, and non-stop avail-
ability of the Symmetrix DMX series at an
exceptionally affordable price. Its the
solution of choice for dedicated,
remote/distributed, or OEM applications.
Symmetrix DMX1000
The Symmetrix DMX1000 is a single-bay,
high-performance, networked storage
system with from 48 to 144 drives for a
maximum capacity of up to 21TB. The
DMX1000 is the ideal solution when a
fully integrated storage system is
required, such as for consolidation in
heavy transaction processing environ-
ments.
Symmetrix DMX1000, DMX2000, and DMX3000fully integrated and
ready to perform
The high-performance Symmetrix DMX1000, DMX2000, and DMX3000 are fully integrated,
single-bay, dual-bay, and triple-bay (respectively) Symmetrix DMX configurations. The
DMX1000 features 48 to 144 drives for a maximum capacity of 21TB, 4 to 64GB of global
memory, 16 to 48 2Gb Fibre Channel host ports or ESCON channels, and/or up to 24 FICON,
Gigabit Ethernet, or iSCSI connections.
The DMX2000 accommodates more memory, more connectivity, and up to double the stor-
age of the DMX1000. The DMX2000 features 96 to 288 drives for a maximum capacity of
42TB, 8 to 128GB of global memory, 16 to 96 2Gb Fibre Channel host ports or ESCON chan-
nels and/or up to 48 FICON, Gigabit Ethernet, or iSCSI connections.
The DMX3000 features 192 to 576 drives for a maximum capacity of over 84TB and a usable
capacity of up to 73.5TB using Parity RAID 7+1. The DMX3000 also offers up to 128GB of
global memory and up to 64 Fibre Channel host ports or ESCON channels and/or 32 FICON,
Gigabit Ethernet, or iSCSI connections.
DMX series systems have the highest density packaging of any Symmetrix to date, putting
144 drives on a single data center floor tile and up to 576 drives on three tiles. Their con-
figurations have been optimized for storage consolidation for high numbers of servers and
for heavy transaction-processing loads. For those applications best suited to fully inte-
grated storage solutions, the Symmetrix DMX1000, DMX2000, and DMX3000 are the net-
worked storage systems that are up to any challenge.
Symmetrix DMX1000-P and DMX2000-Pthe ultimate in storage system
performance
Extreme, performance-intensive environments, such as decision support, data warehous-
ing, and other high-volume back-end sequential processing applications, need storage
systems built for extra speed. The ultra-performance Symmetrix DMX1000-P and
DMX2000-P are these systems. Both are optimized for ultra-high performance in terms of
number of back-end directors and channels and the ratio of disks to those channels. The
DMX2000-P meets the need when both exceptional performance and expanded capacity
are mandated. As with the high-performance DMX1000, DMX2000, and DMX3000 models,
your sales representative can assist in determining when the Symmetrix DMX ultra-per-
formance models are the most appropriate solution.
EMC storage softwarethe fuel and functionality that power the
Symmetrix DMX engine
The EMC Enginuity storage operating system is the most mature, comprehensive, stable,
highly available and proven storage software environment in the industry. It is designed
from the ground up to drive a high-speed, highly available networked storage infrastruc-
tureone capable of meeting todays seemingly infinite needs for growth, speed, and flex-
ibility, while anticipating tomorrows business requirements. And Enginuity comes
equipped to support a full complement of available EMC and ISV-supplied storage proto-
cols and applications (including GDPS, TPF, and PPRC for mainframe environments) to meet
virtually any business demand.
Enginuity is what enables simultaneous connection to virtually all UNIX, Windows 2000,
Windows NT, PC LAN, Linux, and mainframe platformsthe most extensive connectivity
choices in the industryand all validated in EMCs interoperability labs. The result: you can
do whatever you want with your information. Centralize it. Re-purpose it. Consolidate it.
Symmetrix DMX2000
The Symmetrix DMX2000 accommodates
more global memory (up to 128GB), more
connectivity (16 to 96 2Gb Fibre Channel
host ports or ESCON channels and/or up
to 48 FICON, Gigabit Ethernet, or iSCSI
connections), and up to double the
capacity (42TB) of the DMX1000 in a fully
integrated two-bay system.
Symmetrix DMX3000
The Symmetrix DMX3000 satisfies the
most demanding high-performance/high-
capacity consolidation requirements. The
DMX3000 features up to 576 drives for a
maximum capacity of over 84TB and
usable capacities up to 73.5TB using
Parity RAID 7+1. With up to 128GB of glob-
al memory and up to 64 connections for
host, network, and remote replication
connections, the DMX3000 delivers pre-
dictable performance for large-scale
dynamic workloads.
Replicate it. Share it. Distribute and manage it. Put it to work when and where its relevant.
And do it 24/7 without compromise. With fewer staff and greater speed and efficiency.
Enginuitys adaptive, intelligent algorithms continuously monitor application, network,
and storage system health and performance and continuously adjust to changing work-
loads, assuring you of continuous, never-fail information availability. And because
Enginuity is storage-resident, it never imposes a burden on your host resources to slow
application processing.
Enginuity is the rock-solid foundation of EMCs storage software offeringand the driving
force behind the operational consistency across Symmetrix generations.
Software functionality that makes storage management simple,
automated, and open.
EMC offers and delivers a complete suite of functional storage softwarefar more exten-
sive than that of any competitor. Many software offerings are in their fifth or sixth genera-
tion of continuously enhanced maturity.
Intelligent supervision
The EMC ControlCenter family of storage management software, central to EMCs
Automated Information Storage (AutoIS

) strategy, enables you to simplify and automate

management of your multi-vendor networked storage environment through a single, con-
sistent, information-centric approach. As the industrys only integrated networked storage
management family, ControlCenter lets you see all the elements of your IT infrastructure
(hardware, software, and network), know how your infrastructure is performing, and do
whats necessary to ensure service levels are metall from a single software interface.
Industry experts have estimated that EMC Automated Networked Storage software can
improve storage management efficiency by up to nine-fold*, allowing you to redeploy valu-
able IT skills to more productive, revenue-generating activities.
And EMC storage management products arent limited to just supervising Symmetrix sys-
tems. They also manage other EMC and non-EMC storage platforms, networks, and appli-
cations to match todays open, heterogeneous IT environments. Use the storage most
appropriate to your needs, and manage it all centrally, from one management interface.
*Source: IDC
EMC Automated Networked
Storage is the key to achieving
your business objectives. To
meet all the diverse challenges
you face, handle all the various
information demands of your
business, and to find a way to
consolidate and automate man-
agement processes, you need
more than just point solutions.
Symmetrix DMX systems and the
power of EMC open software can
form the foundation of your
Automated Networked Storage
environment.
Information safety
Replicate anything, anywhere, any time. EMC offers a broad range of local and remote
replication software to safeguard your vital information assets and guarantee accessno
matter what. Symmetrix Remote Data Facility (SRDF

) is the industrys leading remote, syn-

chronous, byte-for-byte data-mirroring application for business continuity and disaster
recovery needs. SRDF/Asynchronous (SRDF/A) is available when mirroring with maximum
performance over unlimited distance is required.
EMC TimeFinder does literally just that: it enables you to make locally resident volume
copies of information for parallel uses (like backup or development) while your business
applications proceed uninterrupted, servicing customers and generating revenue. EMC
Snap offers instantly available snapshot copies for more frequent, cost- and resource-
efficient backup, restore, and mirroring tasks. EMC Snap can be used in conjunction with
SRDF and TimeFinder for even greater flexibility in information safety solutions.
EMC Data Manager (EDM) provides the fastest, most versatile direct- NAS-, and SAN-
attached tape-based backup and recovery system on the market.
Infrastructure services
EMC PowerPath

provides multi-path access, path failover, workload-balancing, and vol-

ume management capabilities for servers and storage systems to heighten application
availability, accelerate performance, and ease administration chores.
Other EMC software products provide policy-based automated storage provisioning; offer
automatic storage system and database performance tuning; control and monitor NAS-
and SAN-connected infrastructure elements; replicate and move files, volumes, and even
entire databases whenever and wherever theyre needed; and monitor and report on stor-
age resource consumption for planning and chargeback purposes.
The result of all this industry-leading softwarean EMC Automated Networked Storage
infrastructuremore mature, feature-rich, and functional than any other storage environ-
ment today.
In addition to these representative EMC software applications, a wealth of third-party solu-
tions is available from independent software vendors. As members in the EMC Developers
Program, they have access to EMCs application programming interfaces (APIs) and
develop solutions that take advantage of the latest Symmetrix capabilities.
Extend Automated Networked Storage value throughout your enterprise
All Symmetrix DMX systems can, when combined with EMC Connectrix Fibre Channel
directors or switches, form the backbone of powerful, virtually unlimited storage area net-
works (SANs) and network attached storage (NAS) infrastructures. You can link, manage,
share, and protect all of your enterprise-wide information resources, regardless of geogra-
phy, connectivity, or information-type and apply those resources to your most pressing
business and service-level challenges. And by virtue of EMCs extensive interoperability
testingthe most complete and comprehensive in the industryyou can do so with the
confidence that everything will work together in one unified EMC Automated Networked
Storage environment.
Many companies, even entire indus-
tries, survive and prosper based on
how quickly they can process, store
and retrieve enormous quantities of
data. The challenge for high-end stor-
age vendors is to provide cost-effective
systems with high bandwidth that
meet the increasingly stringent service
levels and are easy to manage, work
across a variety of operating systems
and work in multi-vendor environ-
ments. A ready market awaits those
who can meet these dynamic require-
ments.
Roger Cox
Chief Analyst
Gartner Group
EMC Services delivers results
EMC Services delivers results to our customers throughout the entire IT and information
lifecycle. Our platform-independent storage consulting services, offered through
Information Solutions Consulting, help companies strategically look at their information,
technology, and contingency planning. In addition to point solutions, like the implemen-
tation of your Symmetrix DMX system, EMC Services delivers comprehensive storage serv-
ices for all EMC technologyeverything from consolidation of your current resources to a
strategic shift to EMC Automated Networked Storage.
EMC Services, winner of the coveted STAR award for mission-critical support two years run-
ning, keeps your information available 24/7 with our proactive, preemptive customer sup-
port. Ask your EMC sales representative about the full spectrum of services from EMC that
can benefit your organization.
Take the Next Step
For more information on the uncompromising performance, unequaled functionali-
ty, and unexpected economics offered by the Symmetrix DMX series of high-end
networked storage systems, contact your EMC sales representative or authorized
EMC value-added systems integrator. You can also visit our website at
www.EMC.com or, in North America, call the Symmetrix DMX hotline at 1-866-
SYMM-DMX (1-866-796-6369).
EMC Corporation
Hopkinton
Massachusetts
01748-9103
1-508-435-1000
In North America 1-866-464-7381
EMC
2
, EMC, AutoIS, CLARiiON, PowerPath, SRDF,
and Symmetrix are registered trademarks and
EMC Automated Networked Storage, EMC Snap,
Celerra, Centera, Connectrix, Direct Matrix,
Direct Matrix Architecture, EDM, EMC
ControlCenter, EMC Developers Program,
Enginuity, Symmetrix DMX, TimeFinder, and
where information lives are trademarks of EMC
Corporation. All other trademarks used herein
are the property of their respective owners.
2003 EMC Corporation. All rights reserved.
Produced in the USA. 8/03
C1005.2
www.EMC.com
In addition to uncompromising perform-
ance, availability, functionality and eco-
nomic benefits, Symmetrix DMX cus-
tomers have access to the worlds top-
rated customer service and support. The
EMC Services organization helps you
make the most of your technology invest-
ment with a continuum of best-in-class
services spanning the entire information
lifecycle.