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If I were building a configuration like yours, I would try to extend a single SAN between the two locations. It's a much simpler and probably less expensive approach. This way, when it comes to getting data between the sites you're NOT replicating, you're just mirroring data.
50km is well within the specified limits for most SAN vendor implementations.
With this model, you can combine traditional clustering and wide-area data replication with less hardware. You can design clusters so that they failover to the other site, just as cleanly and neatly as if they were on the local site.
Data replication requires an additional step of sending the data across the replication network (regardless of the technology in place). Mirroring is handled much more simply by a software mirroring product. Most hardware-only solutions cannot handle mirroring outside of a single disk array, so you will likely be restricted to a software-based solution.
Unfortunately, I do not have the opportunity to evaluate hardware from different vendors, so it is very difficult for me to offer opinions on specific equipment from different vendors. My advice, as always, is to ask the vendors for customer references, contact the references and then ask them hard questions about the vendor and his products.
Evan L. Marcus
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