JetStor RAID Storage Solution Review: An Excellent Option for Custom NAS, SAN, and More
If you’re in the market for a large storage solution, you’ve likely heard of AC&NC and JetStor.
To be clear, JetStor is the brand, and AC&NC is the manufacturer. For several decades, AC&NC has positioned itself as a leader in custom storage solutions, providing everything from all-flash SAN RAIDs to (relatively) simple JBODs. If you’re not sure what those acronyms mean, by the way, AC&NC provides educational tools to help you learn (they also provide excellent management software for many devices, along with benchmark management tools and other essentials).
So, why would anyone need a custom JetStor storage solution—and why trust a third party, rather than planning your own solution from the ground up?
We’ll keep the answer fairly basic, since different businesses will need to address different goals when incorporating a new RAID into their IT infrastructure. Basically, AC&NC is a leader in customization, and we’re big fans of custom RAID hardware—both in terms of reducing cost and in ensuring a sound data loss prevention strategy.
Can a JetStor RAID Prevent Data Loss?
First, an important point: RAID is not backup. While many RAID levels offer substantial redundancy, the array itself constitutes a single point of failure. If a roof caves in or a tornado hits your office, the RAID is wiped out—or, perhaps more realistically, if an employee decides to delete certain files or rebuild the array incorrectly, you’re left without your important data.
With that said, JetStor offers options for various RAID levels, and businesses that require a high degree of redundancy can easily find it. JetStor management software provides ample options for alerting administrators to damaged RAID members, allowing for safe rebuilds.
AC&NC also incorporates backup into its custom storage solution designs, in many instances (although the decision is ultimately left up to the client). The company can make considerations for offsite backups, and because they tend to avoid outdated media like backup tapes, their backup solutions are relatively robust.
But the main reason that JetStor RAID devices are such a sound investment is the combination of solid hardware and exceptional support. The company’s no-nonsense RAID building tools allow for a high level of customization, and AC&NC’s knowledgeable staff provides assistance to help buyers find the ready-built products they need to hit the ground running.
For larger applications, JetStor’s advanced solutions provide for a further degree of customization. All JetStor RAID devices are designed for optimal scalability, so your business can add to existing arrays or incorporate new appliances as needed to address growing storage needs.
Granted, you can build your own custom storage appliance, if you’re so inclined. Good luck—you’ll likely need to spend much more, and you might not hit the same benchmarks. The high-quality hardware and advanced feature set of JetStor devices makes them an ideal investment for virtually any application, and they deliver on their promise of fast connectivity and “proven durability.”
In our research, we’ve found JetStor devices to be a superior option for custom storage. If you’re considering a custom or ready-built RAID device, JetStor certainly deserves your attention.