Save Our Soles' homespun ingenuity and manufacturing (100% Colorado produced) is based on yarns and knitting machines produced in Italy and Switzerland, due to Alpine and sub-Alpine characteristics of the sock-knitting process being similar to those found on the front range of the Rockies. I was assured this was true, and they weren't just spinning a yarn.

The motif can best be described as "Elio's torso falling down the stairs" in a mix of blue and white on a red background. The cuff brandishes the SolidFire logo, as has been tradition with SolidFire Sock v1.0 and 2.0.

SolidFire chose the colors Red 03 (PMS 186C), Bahama Blue (PMS 660C), and white out of the 65 colors available from Save Our Soles due to the similarity to corporate branding colors of SolidFire Pantone Red 186C and NetApp Pantone Blue 300C.

The socks are delivered in redundant pairs in cardboard packaging (100% post-consumer content) with a gross shipping weight of 2.1 ounces (60 grams). Sock scale-out potential is nearly infinite, simply get as many pairs of socks as are needed for the unstoppable force.

As you've come to expect from SolidFire, scale out is entirely linear with capacity and performance increasing with each Sock 3.0 (pair) deployed. Performance is measured in the industry standard of STEPs. The number of STEPs is workload- and outer footwear-dependent, but expectations are that each Sock 3.0 should be able to deliver at least 1,000,000 STEPs with proper care.

Socks are delivered in two configurations: "M" for lower capacity feet (US: Mens 7-9.5, Womens 8.8-10.5) and "L" for higher capacity feet (US: Mens 10-12, Womens 11-13). This reviewer's size-14 feet begged for slightly more capacity than was offered by L. Despite this limitation, Sock 3.0 performed flawlessly during a full-day stress test during "NetApp/SolidFire Day One," including an all-hands meeting, various paperwork-signing lines, and an event not previously seen at SolidFire called a "Beer Bash."

A high-density cluster of rack-mounted socks, ready for deployment.

Sock 3.0 Technical Overview

SolidFire + NetApp = Unstoppable ForceIt's well known that unstoppable forces require comfortable feet in lightweight, durable, high-performance socks. As a result, SolidFire has once again teamed with Save Our Soles to produce SolidFire Sock 3.0. New features of Sock 3.0 are immediately noticeable, including better graphics, protective white phalanges cover, and a nod to the new parent company with coloring compatible with its corporate motif.

Product DescriptionSolidFire doesn’t use your average yak fleece. Save Our Soles offers a variety of wools, for example quality Merino wool and Eco SoleMax yarn made from recycled plastic bottles. SolidFire chose the CoreSpun CoolMax yarn, designed with a LYCRA fiber core to promote moisture control for stressful situations, extra strength for unstoppable forces, and excellent stretch recovery for strenuous pushes. This should not be confused with SolidFire Fibre Channel, which offers many excellent features, but was not used in producing these socks.

Request a demo todayVisit SolidFire at Cisco Live Europe, World Hosting Days, Cloud Expo Europe, and OpenStack Summit Austin to test the latest gear!Sock 3.0 Technical Overview by Andy Banta, @AndyBanta

Toe-to-Toe ComparisonIn a quick comparison with Sock 2.0, Sock 3.0 measures up favorably. Comfort right out of the box was good, and user reactions were positive. "Hey, I haven't seen those before," and "Are those the new socks?" are representative of the feedback. While the picture seems to indicate Sock 3.0 has a larger footprint, SolidFire and Save Our Soles are quick to point out this is a difference in workload, and not a factor of the sock itself.

Stretch Capabilities

Sock 3.0 "L" configuration demonstrated remarkable extensibility while in 16 hours of use on the admittedly over-provisioned size-14 feet. Once taken out of service following the stress test, the pair of Sock 3.0 models exhibited slight dampness and musk but quickly relaxed to a mere .25 inches more than their original heel-to-toe length, a nearly insignificant 3% increase. Post-laundering measurements are not yet available, as laundry day is Saturday.

InteroperabilityIt should be noted that, as with all SolidFire products, Sock 1.0 and Sock 2.0 are still within their service lives and can be intermixed in a cluster with Sock 3.0 in any combination and for any capacity. Sock 3.0 excels in both greenfield and brownfield deployments, for both initial roll-out scenarios and sock-to-sock upgrades.

Usability

One of the cornerstones of SolidFire is usability, and Sock 3.0 is a perfect example of that. Sock 3.0 is usable by most with a kindergarten education level with little or no supervision. Administrative functions, such as laundering, sorting, and folding require slightly more experience, but no special expertise.

Serviceability

Sock 3.0 is completely field replaceable. This is commonly done in pairs but can also be done individually when circumstances require. Repairs might be available from outside services proficient in "stitching" or "darning," but no factory refurbishing is available through SolidFire or Save Our Soles.

Reliability

Sock 3.0 is a freshly released product, but both SolidFire and Save Our Soles have extensive history of rigorously testing products. Even so, I personally tested Sock 3.0 by putting on hiking boots, walking 20 steps, and taking off the boots 50 times. Results were perfect: The socks "booted" 50 times without fail.

Physical Specifications

• Weight (per sock): 1 ounce (28 grams)

• Length (heel-to-toe): 9.75 inches (248 mm)

• Height (heel to cuff): 7.75 inches (197 mm)

• Nominal foot-size capacity was exceeded by 2 foot sizes (US Mens) with no adverse effects.

• Other nominal capacities were not measured.

All for as-tested Sock 3.0, L configuration

solidfire.com@solidfire#UnstoppableSocks