IBM Invests in Software-Defined Storage, Data Protection and Storage Systems

In a blog of IBM Corp., Hans-Juergen Rehm IBM Deutschland GmbH, external relations, wrote:

IBM Storage is announcing a wide-ranging set of innovations to its software-defined storage (SDS), data protection and storage systems portfolio.

Driven by the exponential volumes of data growth and the underlying value in this huge treasure trove of information, many 21st century enterprises are moving quickly to modernize their traditional IT infrastructures while taking advantage of multi-cloud architectures and AI applications. Continuing IBM investments in enhancing SDS, data protection and storage systems capabilities, these announcements demonstrate company’s commitment to storage solutions as the foundation for multi-cloud and cognitive/AI applications and workloads.

“As data has become the driving force behind successful companies, clients derive business value using analytics and AI technologies on a multi-cloud infrastructure that is flexible and agile,” said Ed Walsh, GM, IBM storage and software-defined infrastructure. “SDS, modern data protection and all-flash arrays are critical solutions for this journey. With this launch, we are extending their reach to transform on-premises infrastructure to meet these new business imperatives.“

Innovations and enhancements across the IBM Storage portfolio expand the range of data types supported, deliver new function, and enable new technology deployment:
• Spectrum NAS delivers enterprise capabilities and SDS simplicity with cost benefits for common file workloads, including support for Microsoft environments.
• Spectrum Protect Plus, an easy-to-use backup solution for virtual environments, is improved with enhanced database support and faster restores.
• Spectrum Protect Plus provides simple automated data protection and provisioning for VMware in IBM Cloud.
• Spectrum Protect helps address data security concerns with support for theGDPR) and automated detection and alerting of ransomware.
• Spectrum Storage Suite, a complete solution for software-defined storage needs, gains expanded range and value with the inclusion of Spectrum Protect Plus at no additional charge.
• Spectrum Connect simplifies management in complex server environments by providing a consistent experience when provisioning, monitoring, automating and orchestrating IBM storage in containerized, VMware and Microsoft PowerShell environments.
• Spectrum Virtualize helps lower storage costs with new and better performing data reduction technologies for the IBM Storwize family, IBM SAN Volume Controller (SVC) and FlashSystem V9000, as well as for over 440 multi-vendor storage systems.
• Cloud Object Storage addresses client needs for unstructured data in regulated industries with FIPS PUB 140-2 support and SEC 17a-4(f) and CFTC 1.31(c)-(d) compliance assessment from Cohasset Associates.
• Storage Utility offering usage-based pricing now enables switching costs from a CAPEX-centric model to an OPEX paradigm for on-premises Cloud Object Storage.
• Hyper-Scale Mobility enables migration from XIV Gen3 systems to all-flash FlashSystem A9000/R without application and workload disruption.
• FlashSystem 900 helps better meet demanding application requirements with lower latency storage access through support for IB NVMe over Fabric.
• Forward-looking planning statements help inspire confidence for organizations acquiring storage systems by demonstrating how storage systems available today will be enhanced in the future with a new NVMe over Fabric networking capability through coming releases of Spectrum Virtualize and Spectrum Accelerate.

“With advances in AI, businesses are able to leverage data more effectively than ever to become both more efficient and more effective,” said Scott Sinclair, ESG senior analyst. “As data becomes more closely tied to business success, the importance of an optimized storage infrastructure increases. SDS technology, such as IBM’s Spectrum Storage – recently boosted with a number of significant new capabilities – plays a pivotal role in delivering the requisite infrastructure flexibility that can enable IT to keep pace with the business’s demand for data.”

With these innovations, the company is expanding the scope of SDS solutions, data protection and all-flash arrays in addressing even more use cases, adding new capabilities and leveraging its leadership in the storage market (as the #2 storage software company in the world).