Quantum QXS 12G 5XX Series

Overview

The Quantum QXS 12G 5XX Series is a high-performance, enterprise-grade RAID­node storage solution within the QXS family, built to support demanding unstructured-data workflows such as media production, post-production, broadcasting, research archives, and large-scale collaborative editing. The “12G” designation refers to the internal back-end connectivity (12 Gb/s SAS), allowing for high bandwidth and low latency. The “5XX” series covers high-density and scale-out configurations (for example 5U/84-bay chassis) that enable organisations to start with modest capacity and scale both capacity and performance without forklift upgrades.
The solution features dual active/active RAID controllers, no single point of failure, and flexible front-end connectivity (Fibre Channel or Ethernet depending on model). It is designed for shared-storage environments requiring both high throughput sequential I/O and large file collaboration.

Features

• Optimised for throughput-intensive workflows: The QXS 12G series is tuned for sequential I/O performance — making it ideal for large streaming files, multi-user editing and collaborative environments.
• High-availability architecture: Dual active/active RAID controllers, redundant power supplies, fans and hot-swappable drives ensure resilience and continuity of operation.
• Modular scalability: Available in different form-factors including high-density 5-rack-unit (5U) chassis with many drive bays, enabling both “scale-up” (more drives) and “scale-out” (additional nodes) growth.
• Flexible connectivity: Internal 12 Gb/s SAS back-end for expansion; front-end options include 16/32 Gb Fibre Channel or 10/25 Gb Ethernet in many models, enabling SAN or NAS workflows.
• High capacity in compact footprint: The 5XX series supports large raw capacities in a compact rack-unit count (for example up to petabytes in a few rack units) — reducing data centre footprint, power cooling costs and total cost of ownership.
• Workflow integration ready: Designed for shared-storage deployments with global namespace file systems, supporting simultaneous multi-client access and large-file workflows across SAN/NAS protocols.
• Future-proof architecture: With internal 12G architecture and modern front-end connectivity, the platform is designed to grow with evolving performance and capacity demands.

Specifications

System & Architecture

• Product family: QXS-Series 12G RAID-node storage appliances, “5XX” class high-density models.
• Internal back-end bus: 12 Gb/s SAS for drive and expansion connectivity.
• Controller configuration: Dual active/active RAID controllers for high availability.
• Drive support: Supports enterprise SAS/NL-SAS HDDs and SSDs (both 3.5″ and 2.5″ depending on chassis) in large drive-bay configurations.
• Scalability: Supports scale-up (increasing drive counts) and scale-out (adding additional chassis or nodes) expansions.
• Typical performance capability (for 5XX models): up to ~12 GB/s read throughput and ~10 GB/s write throughput.
• Drive-bay configurations (for 5XX models): For example 84-bay 3.5″ HDD chassis in 5U form factor.
• Maximum single-system raw capacity (for 5U high-density model): up to ~1.6 PB in 5U chassis; when expanded across many rack units (e.g., 20 rack units) up to ~6.7 PB.
  Physical / Environmental
• Form factor: Rack-mount, high-density (e.g., 5U) chassis; also smaller 2U options exist in the 12G family.
• Dimensions (representative 5U chassis): Height approx 222 mm (8.75″), width approx 444.5 mm, depth approx 892 mm (35.1″) to ~981 mm (38.6″) depending on rear-cable clearance and drive configuration.
• Weight: Fully populated systems can weigh ~135 kg (298 lb) or more depending on configuration.
• Operating environment: Standard enterprise ambient (for example ~5 °C to ~35 °C) and specified airflow/ventilation requirements.
• Power supply: Dual redundant hot-swappable PSUs; input 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz. Typical power draw depends on drive population and configuration.
  Drive & Storage Configuration Example
• Example: A 5U 84-bay model configured with 3.5″ NL-SAS drives yielding raw capacity up into petabytes; usable capacity depends on drive type, RAID configuration and overhead.
• RAID/data protection: Enterprise-class RAID (such as RAID 5/6) combined with redundant controllers and mirrored cache ensure data resilience and service continuity.
  Software & Protocol Support
• Supports SAN (Fibre Channel) and NAS (when combined with appropriate gateway), enabling multi-protocol access from diverse clients and operating systems in shared-storage workflows.
• Integrates with global namespace and large-file systems for collaborative environments, allowing management of vast numbers of files, multi-user access and tiering to cloud/tape if desired.
• Designed for large-file sequential I/O workflows (e.g., media & entertainment, life sciences, research) where sustained throughput and capacity matter.