Intransa Cranks Up IP SAN

Startup Intransa Inc. has begun beta testing its iSCSI-based storage system, aiming to ship its first product by June. It's promising all the benefits of IP storage area networks -- claiming it will be considerably less expensive than a Fibre Channel SAN to buy and manage -- but will Intransa be able to deliver? (See Intransa Details IP SAN Plans.)

Intransa's SAN-sans-Fibre Channel, dubbed the IP5000, consists of iSCSI-based back-end disk enclosures connected to its proprietary storage controllers, which provide volume management and other functions. The system, which connects to servers over standard Gigabit Ethernet, will carry a starting list price of $62,500 for 3.2 Tbytes (1.6 Tbytes usable), including hardware and software.

"We're building a full-featured IP SAN, not just a Pentium box with an IP port out the back," says John Howarth, Intransa's director of product management.

The forthcoming system will be one of only a few iSCSI targets out there -- a piece of the iSCSI picture that industry observers note has been sorely lacking. LeftHand Networks is already shipping an IP SAN system, but it uses a proprietary block-level protocol, and another IP SAN startup, EqualLogic Inc., is also shooting for a midyear launch. But for the time being, Network Appliance Inc. (Nasdaq: NTAP) is about the only other vendor who's delivered an iSCSI-enabled storage server (see IP SANs: Coming of Age, EqualLogic Tallies $15M, NetApp's IP SAN Wins a Fan, LeftHand Snatches $20M, and iSCSI Gets Go-Ahead).

Intransa's target market will be shops running Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) server applications, like Exchange and SQL Server, or Linux. The startup says it's been working closely with Redmond in developing its iSCSI system, and it's probably not a coincidence that Intransa's June launch will just about coincide with Microsoft's expected release of the final version of its iSCSI Windows drivers (see Microsoft to Unleash iSCSI).And an inherent part of Intransa's sales pitch is its system's comparatively low barrier to entry, especially because it is based on Gigabit Ethernet. "It's not like going out and buying a $250,000 SAN," Howarth says. "This is a low-risk investment."

By the same token, the startup will avoid pitching accounts that are looking for robust performance that matches Fibre Channel. Howarth says that whereas a FC SAN can deliver throughput between 500 and 600 Mbyte/s, the Intransa IP SAN provides between 100 and 150 Mbyte/s. "For a Microsoft app, that's just fine," he says.

Adds Howarth, "We figured performance would be an issue [with prospective customers], but it hasn't been. It's more around us being a startup and the robustness of the code."

Intransa does, however, expect its primary competition to be low-end SAN array offerings from Dell Computer Corp. (Nasdaq: DELL) (which has started manufacturing EMC's CX200) and Hewlett-Packard Co.'s (NYSE: HPQ) Modular Storage Array (MSA) 1000 (see EMC, Dell Keep Dancing and HP Refills Its SAN Flask). It has a small direct sales force and is looking to sign up value-added resellers (VARs) in major metro areas. So far, it has inked a deal with InterVision Systems Technologies Inc., a reseller based in Santa Clara, Calif.

The company started its beta-testing cycle about a month ago and has lined up eight beta sites so far. It was able to name three of them: BlueStar Solutions, an application service provider; the University of Michigan; and 3Com Corp. (Nasdaq: COMS), one of Intransa's investors [ed. note: although isn't this like selling Dad several boxes of your Girl Scout cookies?].In its labs, Intransa has been testing with Gigabit Ethernet switches from 3Com, Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO), Dell Computer Corp. (Nasdaq: DELL), Extreme Devices Inc., and Netgear Inc.; and also with iSCSI initiators from Adaptec Inc. (Nasdaq: ADPT), Alacritech Inc., Emulex Corp. (NYSE: ELX), Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC), ad QLogic Corp. (Nasdaq: QLGC). Howarth says there have been "no major problems" with interoperability with any of these vendors' products.

The system's 3U-high DE5200 disk enclosure, developed by Xyratex, houses 16 Maxtor Corp. (NYSE: MXO) 200-Gbyte 7200-RPM drives. Intransa requires a third-party UPS (uninterruptible power supply) and recommends American Power Conversion Corp. (APC)'s. Up to four DE5200s can be connected, but the system supports a maximum capacity of 10 Tbytes (see Intransa Peeks Out).

The 1U-high SC5100 storage controller, meanwhile, runs a Linux operating system and has dual 64-bit MIPS chips from Broadcom Corp. (Nasdaq: BRCM). It includes a GigE-to-ATA converter and performs RAID functions (levels 1 and 1/0), volume management, and has the to ability to dynamically grow the size of logical unit numbers (LUNs). The Intransa system also supports snapshot and mirroring functions, and provides a Windows-like management interface.

But why did Intransa choose to provide its own disk arrays? Other iSCSI devices are designed to work with existing SCSI or Fibre Channel storage arrays, like Cisco's SN5400 storage router or those from Sanrad or StoneFly Networks Inc. Intransa believes a more fully integrated IP SAN will yield happier customers: "Basically, we're selling a complete system because people don't like to buy virtualization appliances from startups," says Howarth.

Intransa, founded in September 2000, has raised $34 million in three rounds of funding and says it has another round reserved for it in June, though executives decline to say how much that fourth round will be. Current investors include 3Com Corp. (Nasdaq: COMS), Advanced Technology Ventures (ATV), Sofinnova Ventures Inc., and U.S. Venture Partners. Based in San Jose, Calif., Intransa has 79 employees (see Intransa Quiet on Plansa, Intransa Nabs Another $10M, and Eric the Intransa Gent).Since we last checked in with Intransa, it has replaced its CEO. Paul Matteucci, previously VP and general manager of Adaptec's SCSI host adapter business, joined the company as its chief executive about two months ago. Former CEO Alan Kessler is now executive VP of business development in charge of strategic alliances.

"One of our VCs, U.S. Venture Partners, said we needed a front-line storage executive heading the company," Howarth says. "Paul brings experience and structure." Kessler, meanwhile, is in "full sales mode."

In the grand scheme of things, Intransa is setting modest goals for itself. "We're thinking success is selling a couple hundred units in the next year," says Howarth. "We're not trying to set huge bars for ourselves." He adds that Intransa hasn't based its success on securing an OEM relationship, which even under the best of circumstances is a process that takes about a year to complete.

But it is banking on customers buying into the premise that IP SANs are real enough to spring 60 grand on. Now, can it find a couple hundred takers?

Todd Spangler, US Editor, Byte and Switch