This IBM® Redbooks® publication introduces and describes the IBM Elastic Storage® Server 3500 (ESS 3500) as a scalable, high-performance data and file management solution. The solution is built on proven IBM Storage® Scale technology, formerly IBM Spectrum Scale.

IBM Elastic Storage System 3500 is a hybrid platform able to provide both very high data throughput for high demand AI and ML workloads using an NVMe based drive configuration, or provide large amounts of storage when attached to additional disk based ESS HDD storage units.

This book provides a technical overview of the ESS 3500 solution and helps to plan the installation of the environment. We also explain the use cases where we believe it fits best.

Our goal is to position this book as the starting point document for customers that would use the ESS 3500 as part of their IBM Storage Scale setups.

This book is targeted toward technical professionals (consultants, technical support staff, IT Architects, and IT Specialists) who are responsible for delivering cost-effective storage solutions with ESS 3500.

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2.IBM Elastic Storage System 3500 architecture and overview

Chapter 3. Planning considerations

Chapter 4. Providing your own IBM Elastic Storage System Management Server

Chapter 5. Use cases

Appendix A. Configuring the 48 ports top of the rack management network switch

Appendix B. Configuring two 8831-T48 switches as top of the rack switches