Fujitsu Siemens Offers Four Free Snapshots

Fujitsu Siemens Computers lauches its ‘My Very First Snapshot’ campaign, offering support for four free snapshots with all FibreCAT SX storage systems. In addition, the company offers an upgrade option to extend snapshot capacities – up to 16 snapshots for the FibreCAT SX60 and up to 32 snapshots for FibreCAT SX80 and FibreCAT SX88 models. Upgrade prices have been reduced by 50 percent to give companies an easy and attractive way to get started with snapshot technology, which is an important element of efficient and continual data backup. The campaign, during which customers can save up to €1495 per upgrade, will run from May 1 to October 31, 2008.
 
Taking snapshots, which means creating images of system data at specific points in time, has proven valuable in data storage in a number of different ways. Snapshots guarantee rapid data backup and restore, but require little storage space because snapshot copies only save the blocks that have changed since the last data update. In addition, snapshots score points as a test and development environment for new systems since they make it possible to test new scenarios without interfering with the operation of productive systems.
 
Dr. Helmut Beck, Vice President Storage Business at Fujitsu Siemens Computers explains, “Snapshot technology is an efficient, economical way to save business-critical data and to ensure business continuity. Our ‘My Very First Snapshot’ campaign offers an attractively-priced way to adopt this technology and, thanks to the FibreCAT SX, small and mid-sized enterprises can also take advantage of it.”
 

Snapshot technology and FibreCAT SX systems – a successful combination
Fujitsu Siemens Computers now offers integrated snapshots as standard with its FibreCAT SX systems. The images are writable and as a result can be used easily for tests and setting up alternative system scenarios. The snapshots are also “transportable”, meaning that they can be accessed from different servers. Therefore, a special server can be used to carry out backup operations, reducing the load on the productive systems and helping to guarantee efficient operations.
 
FibreCAT SX60, FibreCAT SX80 and FibreCAT SX88 online storage systems offer state-of-the-art storage technology such as redundant components and a high-speed 4 Gbps fibre-channel connection. The RAID controller, fan and power supply are hot swappable. Additionally, technologies developed by Fujitsu Siemens Computers provide for both even higher availability (FibreCap) and faster access to the data (FibreCache). In the event of a power failure, the FibreCAT systems store the contents of the cache on a built-in Compact Flash (CF) card. A FibreCap capacitor provides the necessary power and once the mains supply is restored, can be immediately recharged, in contrast to batteries, which can take hours to reach full charge. This protects systems even during a power failure and means that everything is up and running again at full capacity as soon as power is restored. FibreCache ensures that cache contents in the RAID controllers are synchronized via a quick direct connection, effectively utilizing the controllers’ full performance.

Fujitsu Siemens Computers