IBM FlashSystem V840 Software V7.3

IBM FlashSystem Software version 7.3 provides software-defined storage capabilities across FlashSystem V840.

These offerings help reduce the complexities and cost of managing storage in the following ways:

Reducing the effective cost per capacity of flash through optional real-time compression
Centralizing management of storage volumes to enable administrators to manage storage volumes from a single point
Improving utilization of storage capacity with virtual volumes to enable businesses to tap into previously unused disk capacity
Minimizing downtime for backups, maintenance, and upgrades
Performing data migration without disruption to applications
Enabling storage devices to be organized into storage pools from which virtual volumes, whether standard, compressed, or thin-provisioned, are created with the desired characteristics
Restoring data access with near and remote copy capabilities across FC

FlashSystem Software version 7.3 improves easy tier capabilities to allow for up to three tiers of storage. Easy tier users can now define their tiers making it possible to turn on easy tier between more than just flash devices and HDD drives. These capabilities offer more alternatives for optimizing the storage you use. As you expand storage pools, FlashSystem Software version 7.3 provides automation to re-stripe data across the pools for performance.

These easy tier features apply to the FlashSystem Software version 7.3 for both the existing FlashSystem V840 Control Enclosure (9846-AC0 and 9848-AC0), as well as the newly introduced FlashSystem V840 Control Enclosure (9846-AC1 and 9848-AC1).

Real-time compression has been enhanced to provide performance improvements with the delivery of new FlashSystem V840 Control Enclosure (9846-AC1 and 9848-AC1), including use of the compression accelerator card feature. Updates to the cache architecture provide further improvements to performance.

Key prerequisites
FlashSystem V840 Software V7.3 (5639-FS7) requires FlashSystem V840 Storage System (9846-AC1 and 9846-AE1, or 9848-AC1 and 9848-AE1). It is preinstalled on, and shipped with, these systems.

Planned availability date
July 18, 2014