Server Message Block (SMB)/CIFS-based solutions expert Visuality Systems is using the Load DynamiX Enterprise platform to test and validate the performance and scalability of its NQ Storage software stack.
Visuality Systems, based in Israel and established in 1998, develops SMB (formerly-CIFS) implementations which include SMB embedded and SMB storage stacks with both client and server components. Its more than 100 Blue Chip customers span across markets including consumer and corporate, storage, aerospace and defence, industrial automation, medical and others.
The company partners with operating system vendors that include Wind River, Green Hills, Express Logic, Mentor Graphics and LynxOS to ensure its products’ high compatibility level. Visuality Systems recently announced a collaboration with Microsoft to bring storage platform file-sharing expertise to even more products and consumers through better interoperability between Windows and non-Windows machines.
The Load DynamiX Enterprise storage performance validation and analytics solution, which comprises software application Load DynamiX Enterprise and appliances for workload generation and workload acquisition, is used to validate storage infrastructure performance and understand how changes in application workload behaviour affect storage performance.
Visuality Systems uses the platform to create and run high SMB, SMB2 and SMB3 loads both in terms of data flow and multiple connections. The company puts its servers through their paces, stretching their resources to the limit to check that they can handle an "out-of-resource" situation. Load DynamiX also reproduces out-of-the-ordinary cases recorded on a customer site to make sure the infrastructure performs effectively even when it’s up against changing workloads.
Before implementing Load DynamiX, Visuality Systems relied on manual load testing which was time consuming, difficult to maintain, and often provided inaccurate results. Now the company benefits from Load DynamiX’s automated workload profiling which provides insights into Visuality Systems’ products’ performance that are rooted in fact rather than guesswork. It relies on Load DynamiX to analyse and better understand its users’ workloads. The results help its customers to make informed deployment decisions, and enable Visuality Systems to iron out glitches before the servers are installed and fine tune the solution after implementation.
Visuality Systems’ R&D manager Mark Rabinovich said: “We wanted to further increase the quality of our NQ product line, and we decided to enhance our load testing with more comprehensive and real-world workloads. We found the VI Load DynamiX platform to be an optimal combination of both functionality and cost effectiveness. It’s now a crucial element in our production process to ensure that our NQE and NQ Storage products meet industry standards and our customers’ requirements.”
Virtual Instruments’ vice-president of vendor sales Chris Carvacho said: “Visuality Systems is putting its customers first. With Load DynamiX Enterprise, IT vendors are transforming the way they develop and deploy storage technologies. The highly accurate workload acquisition and analysis capabilities combined with unprecedented load generation capabilities across any block, file or object storage device ensure that storage development and QA engineers maximise the performance, scalability and quality of their products.”
