IBM Spectrum Scale integrates with the IBM FlashSystem 900 Model AE3 and offers your business environment the following potential benefits: 

GLYPH<SM590000> IBM Spectrum Scale enables the IBM FlashSystem to be used as a storage tier  under user control, scheduled control, or dynamically, where files are moved to and from flash and disk (and even tape) under policy control or when they are used. 

GLYPH<SM590000> You can use the IBM FlashSystem to support data, metadata, or both. It also can support millions of file creations and deletions per minute. 

GLYPH<SM590000> A small part of a the IBM FlashSystem can be partitioned for metadata use and the remainder can be used for hot data. 

GLYPH<SM590000> This integration provides the capability to replicate data sync or async to another site. It also supports full active-active two-site configurations (sync replication only). 

GLYPH<SM590000> IBM Spectrum Scale can perform mirroring of two FlashSystem 900 Model AE3s, at a single site or across multiple sites. 

GLYPH<SM590000> IBM Spectrum Scale is used at many sites where InfiniBand is used. IBM Spectrum Scale and InfiniBand are a good match for the IBM FlashSystem 900 Model AE3. 

In this scenario, IBM Spectrum Scale and DataDirect Networks (DDN) communicate by using the same SCSI RDMA SRP, which is supported by the IBM FlashSystem 900 Model AE3. SRP is similar to iSCSI protocol. SRP provides access to LUNs across networks, and SRP protocol is used across InfiniBand networks. GPFS was historically implemented by using SRP protocols to access DDN disk subsystems from GPFS Network Shared Disks (NSD) servers. 

## 2.5.5 VMware with IBM Spectrum Connect 

IBM FlashSystem 900 Model AE3 supports VMware vSphere Storage APIs - Array Integration (VAAI) UNMAP function and VMware vSphere API for Storage Awareness (VASA) through integration with the IBM Spectrum Connect. 

IBM FlashSystem 900 Model AE3 supports the VAAI Block Reclaim/UNMAP primitive to inform the FlashSystem 900 Model AE3 to reclaim storage. Other VAAI primitives are not supported. In particular, the Atomic Test and Set (ATS) API of VMware is not supported, and to avoid unnecessary SCSI reservation conflicts and performance impacts, this feature must be disabled your VMware configuration. 

