BOULDER, Colo., Oct. 24, 2018 — Spectra Logic announced today that the Advanced Computing Center for Research and Education (ACCRE) at Vanderbilt University has deployed a Spectra T950 Tape Library and Spectra BlackPearl Converged Storage System to store and archive research data. ACCRE is the foremost resource for the high-performance computing (HPC) requirements of the various research projects across the Vanderbilt community. The ACCRE cluster is used for research in a wide variety of fields, including genetics research, particle physics and astronomy.

ACCRE processes and stores data produced by more than 850 researchers across more than 50 departments and centers within Vanderbilt University. The center needed to increase capacity, due to expected growth estimated to reach 10PB by the end of 2018, and significantly higher by 2020. Various departments, research teams and grant projects rely on ACCRE for many services, from accessing their Big Data cluster to utilizing their large high-bandwidth storage network, to employing their tape backup services. While previously performing nightly backups using an IBM® TS3500 tape library, ACCRE was seeking a system to better accommodate their increasing need for data capacity that simultaneously met the new security requirements instituted for Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) to protect grant research data.

“Spectra Logic provided us with a highly scalable and cost-effective solution. The unsurpassed density of the T950, combined with BlackPearl’s object storage capabilities, provide seamless access to our growing content,” said Alan Tackett, technical director and lead developer, ACCRE. “With this deployment, we have reduced our annual storage operating charges for our variety of clients by over 50 percent and expect to lower these costs even further.”

With guidance from Teradactyl, a company specializing in complex heterogeneous computing environments that include specialty file systems for high performance computing and wide area networks, ACCRE upgraded to a Spectra T950 Tape Library with 11 LTO-8 tape drives and an additional media frame. The center also deployed a Spectra Black Pearl Converged Storage System, enabling direct end user access to archival storage. The BlackPearl design supports numerous concurrent workflows by eliminating the need for costly third-party data movers through its integration of Spectra S3 with a range of certified clients and simple file movers. This object storage platform combines NAS and Spectra S3-based interface with multiple storage targets, creating a simple and affordable solution.

“Researchers at Vanderbilt are generating massive amounts of invaluable data, both within the university and through external partnerships, that must be stored and protected forever,” said Brian Grainger, chief sales officer, Spectra Logic. “The Spectra solutions deployed at the university provide a long-term, scalable solution to support these continuing efforts.”

Read Spectra Logic’s ACCRE at Vanderbilt University customer case study on our website here. Visit Spectra and Teradactyl at the LISA tradeshow in Nashville, TN, from Oct. 29 -31. Visit Spectra at SuperComputing 2018 in Dallas, TX, from Nov. 12-15, in Booth #2016.

About Spectra Logic Corporation 

Spectra Logic develops data storage solutions that solve the problem of short- and long-term digital preservation for business and technology professionals dealing with exponential data growth. Dedicated solely to storage innovation for nearly 40 years, Spectra Logic’s uncompromising product and customer focus is proven by the adoption of its solutions by industry leaders in multiple vertical markets globally. Spectra enables affordable, multi-decade data storage and access by creating new methods of managing information in all forms of storage—including archive, backup, cold storage, private cloud and public cloud. To learn more, visit http://www.spectralogic.com.

About ACCRE at Vanderbilt University 

The Advanced Computing Center for Research and Education is the premier resource for the high-performance computing (HPC) needs of research throughout Vanderbilt University. The 4,000 square foot facility is located on Vanderbilt’s Peabody Campus and houses more than 10,000 computational cores for research. ACCRE’s networked computer cluster is used for research in a wide variety of fields, including genetics research, particle physics and astronomy. The cluster is maintained by roughly a dozen staff members who report to a steering committee under the Vice Provost for Research at Vanderbilt.

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Source: Spectra Logic