IBM Introduces Next-Generation Storage Virtualization Software

IBM Introduces Next-Generation Storage Virtualization Software

IBM announced today breakthrough enhancements to its industry leading storage virtualization engine software that extends its reach to greater distances, greater speeds and a greater number of platforms.

IBM’s enhanced storage virtualization software — the IBM System Storage SAN Volume Controller 4.1 (SVC) — includes a number of powerful new technologies, including one that is designed to help organizations virtualize their infrastructures more efficiently and at lower costs over longer distances. In the wake of regional disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, businesses are increasingly seeking ways to support continuing IT operations by placing data centers that share resources at greater distances than in the past, including in other cities, other states, even other countries. A new global mirroring function is designed to help customers virtualize data at locations of greater than 100 miles faster and more cost effectively than previously.

Today’s announcement further expands IBM’s leadership in storage virtualization. IBM this month announced it had surpassed 2,000 SVC customers who are virtualizing more than 15 petabytes of data. The IT research firm IDC recently reported that the installed base of appliance-based, virtualized networked storage capacity was 28.1 petabytes at the end of 2005.[1] Based on this information, IBM believes that SVC manages more than half of the appliance-based virtualized storage capacity in the market today.

In addition to the business continuity enhancements announced today, SVC 4.1 now supports four gigabits per second (Gbps) environments and has extended its capabilities to virtualize data on nearly 80 different disk systems. “IBM continues to expand the reach and capabilities of its storage virtualization software by incorporating features that will help customers achieve their business goals and bottom-line targets,” said Kristie Bell, vice president, System Storage Marketing, IBM. “Compared to the previous version, our enhanced storage virtualization software provides increased flexibility, ease of management and improved business continuity and disaster recovery capabilities, empowering customers to architect their information on demand environments to be more resilient, dynamic and flexible, regardless of where the data resides.”

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