Davidkn wrote:
The array ports are always the last to move to the newer speeds, but there's also the question of why you'd need that amount of bandwidth?
The first devices to get the new speeds are normally switches, then it's the hbas and lastly it's the storage.
You certainly don't need 16gb speed on the server end, but the 16gb technology does have it's advantages, not just speed. You also don't need 16gb ports on your switches, it would be more cost effective to buy 8gb sfps for the hbas and the switches.
We'll probably be on 32gb switches by the time storage arrays have 16gb natively. The only reason you aren't being quoted an 8gb switch is that you can't buy them any longer I don't think.
Don't forget, the 3par can have 6x 8gb ports per controller, and there's 4 controllers, that's a lot of ports and a lot of bandwidth!
I second all that. 16Gbps is a hell of a lot of bandwidth.
I'm now having flashbacks to awhile back when brocade tried to rename 16Gbps FC to Gen6 FC or whatever, and Brocade and Cisco went at it like a bunch of angry teenagers.
At the end of the day, I'm not sure anybody in the SMB space that these arrays are targeted at is driving enough bandwidth to saturate a 16Gb link.
We were on 4Gb until we put in our 7200's last year, and there was no noticeable difference when we upgraded to 8.
I would say put it in with 8 and walk away. No need to wait for something you don't need.