VAST EBox Storage Configuration

Let's configure your storage solution step by step

Step 1: Capacity Requirements

Typical sizes:

Example: 100TB usable ≈ 122TB raw. VAST uses ~18% for data protection.

15.3TB: Max performance. 30.7TB: Balanced choice. 61.4TB: Best $/TB at large scale but requires higher density deployments.

Discount 60%
40% 50% 60% 75%

Enterprise discounts typically range from 40-75% off list price.

Quick sizing estimate:
~50 EBox servers (30.7TB drives)

> VAST Data EBox on Cisco UCS Storage Calculator

Plan storage capacity and infrastructure requirements for VAST EBox deployments

60% Discount

Capacity Requirements

Partner Discount

Discount Level 60%
40% 50% 60% 75%
Enterprise Deal (60% off)

Network Design

Dedicated: Separate frontend and backend switch pairs. Maximum isolation and bandwidth.

Rack Layout

Single rack: 4 switches (2 FE + 2 BE) + servers in one rack. More compact but power-limited.

Sizing Summary

Enter capacity to see the number of servers and racks required (minimum 8 servers per cluster).

Power Configuration

Deployment Scale

Rack Layout Visualization (30.7TB drives)

Showing 1 scalable unit (representative sample of full deployment)

Configuration Summary

EBox Server (1U)
Frontend Switch (1U)
Backend Switch (1U)
Empty

Dual-Network Topology (Frontend + Backend)

Frontend Network (Client Access)

ConnectX-7 NIC #1 → Frontend Leaf Switches → Spine → Clients

Backend Network (Storage Cluster)

ConnectX-7 NIC #2 → Backend Leaf Switches → Cluster Traffic

Network Architecture Diagram

EBox Server Network Configuration

ConnectX-7 NIC #1 (Frontend)
  • 2x 200G ports (400G total bandwidth)
  • Connected to Frontend Leaf switches
  • Handles client I/O traffic
ConnectX-7 NIC #2 (Backend)
  • 2x 200G ports (400G total bandwidth)
  • Connected to Backend Leaf switches
  • Handles cluster replication & rebuild

Bill of Materials (30.7TB drives)

Cloud Cost Reference (for comparison only)

Cloud costs are estimates based on public pricing. Actual costs vary by region, commitment, and usage patterns. On-prem TCO should include power, cooling, space, and operations costs not shown here.

How We Calculate These Estimates

Server Count

Servers = Target Capacity ÷ Usable Capacity per Server

Minimum cluster size: 8 servers (VAST requirement)

Usable vs Raw Capacity

Usable ≈ 82% of Raw capacity

~18% overhead for VAST data protection (erasure coding)

Drive Configurations

  • • 15.3TB: 8 data drives + 2 NVRAM → ~100TB usable/server
  • • 30.7TB: 8 data drives + 2 NVRAM → ~200TB usable/server
  • • 61.4TB: 7 data drives + 3 NVRAM → ~350TB usable/server

Pricing

List prices from Cisco CCW (Feb 2026)

Your discount is applied to all components. Actual quotes may vary.

Switch Count

Switches = ⌈(Servers × 2 ports) ÷ 32⌉ rounded to pairs

Each server uses 4×200G ports (2×400G switch ports with breakout)

Power Estimates

Server: ~850W | Switch (32-port): ~450W

Actual power varies by workload and configuration