- Delivers up to 250,000 IOPS and 15 GB/s bandwidth per chassis for extreme throughput needs.
- Optimized for high-performance computing, AI/ML pipelines, and 8K media workflows.
- Highly scalable architecture supporting multi-petabyte deployments without downtime.
- Integrated with OneFS for simplified management and seamless cluster expansion.
- 2025 updates focus on security hardening and intelligent tiering support.
What’s New or Important Now
For 2025, the Dell EMC Isilon F800 continues to lead the all-flash NAS space, now with enhanced OneFS updates that improve security by default, including improved SMB signing and NFSv4.1 encryption capabilities. Demand from sectors like life sciences and media production is fueling adoption, where high throughput and low latency are critical. Additionally, IDC reports continued growth in the all-flash array market, making the F800’s capabilities more relevant than ever.
Buyer and Architect Guidance
The Isilon F800 is ideal where workloads demand consistent sub-millisecond latency and parallel access from hundreds or thousands of clients. Common industries include:
- Media and Entertainment: For 4K/8K editing, VFX rendering, and real-time streaming.
- Life Sciences: Genome sequencing, proteomics, and bioinformatics pipelines.
- Oil & Gas: Seismic processing and large-model simulations.
- Financial Services: Real-time analytics and risk simulations.
Sizing considerations: Plan for IOPS and throughput rather than just capacity. An F800 chassis offers 60 SSDs and aggregates performance linearly as you scale. Over-provisioning ensures headroom for peak loads.
Trade-offs: All-flash delivers performance but at a higher cost per TB than hybrid systems. Hybrid or archive tiers may be more cost-effective for colder data.
Comparison Table
| Model | Drive Type | Max IOPS/Chassis | Max Bandwidth/Chassis | Ideal Workloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isilon F800 | All-Flash (SSD) | 250,000 | 15 GB/s | HPC, AI, Media Editing |
| Isilon H5600 | Hybrid HDD/SSD | 70,000 | 5 GB/s | Mixed Workloads, Tiered Storage |
| Isilon A300 | Archive HDD | 30,000 | 1.5 GB/s | Cold Data, Compliance Storage |
Mini Implementation Guide
Prerequisites
- Validated network design with 40GbE or higher interconnects.
- Rack space and adequate cooling for chassis deployments.
- OneFS license and integration plan for your ecosystem.
Steps
- Rack and cable each F800 chassis according to Dell’s best practices.
- Configure network settings and bond interfaces for redundancy.
- Join chassis into an existing cluster or initiate a new OneFS cluster.
- Define node pools and smartpools policies for optimal performance.
- Test throughput using representative workloads before production cutover.
Common Pitfalls
- Underestimating client-side network capabilities, leading to bottlenecks.
- Neglecting future capacity growth in initial sizing, causing early upgrades.
- Improper load balancing between client workloads reducing aggregate performance.
Cost and ROI
The F800 commands a premium cost, with per-terabyte pricing higher than hybrid arrays. However, the ROI is realized when workloads benefit from dramatically shorter processing times, enabling more projects per year or faster insight-to-decision cycles. For continuous high-intensity workloads, the TCO over five years can be competitive due to reduced processing infrastructure needs and operational overhead.
FAQs
Q: How many F800 chassis can be clustered?
A: You can cluster up to 252 nodes, enabling multi-petabyte deployments with linearly scaling performance.
Q: Does the F800 support NVMe drives?
A: As of 2025, the F800 uses high-end enterprise SATA and SAS SSDs. NVMe support is available in newer PowerScale models.
Q: Can I mix F800 with other Isilon nodes?
A: Yes. OneFS allows mixing different node types in a single cluster with smartpools managing data placement.
Q: Is deduplication available?
A: OneFS supports inline compression and deduplication, with minimal performance impact on all-flash configurations.
Q: What is the warranty period?
A: Standard warranty is 3 years, with optional extensions and ProSupport services.
Q: Is the system cloud-integrated?
A: Yes. OneFS includes CloudPools integration to tier data to public and private cloud providers.
Conclusion
The Dell EMC Isilon F800 remains one of the most capable all-flash NAS platforms on the market for 2025, delivering exceptional scalability, predictable performance, and operational simplicity. For organizations with sustained high-I/O workloads, the long-term benefits can outweigh higher acquisition costs. To explore deployment strategies, visit LearnDell.online.