IBM storage targets smaller datacentres
IBM has introduced storage and System x packages for medium-sized businesses, in particular those running smaller datacentres based on x86-based commodity hardware or on System x mainframe systems.
System Storage DS3500 Express and System x3620 M3 Express are both aimed at helping such companies manage rapidly growing volumes of data, an important source of concern for enterprises of all sizes, IBM said in its announcement on Tuesday.
The System Storage DS3500 Express is a single-controller storage system that provides multiple connectivity options — Fibre Channel, iSCSI and SAS — so that businesses can set up tiered storage networks. Tiered networks place frequently used applications and data on faster storage technology, such as spinning or solid-state disks, while less-used data is placed on less-expensive technologies such as Serial ATA (Sata) disks or tape.
The DS3500 unit uses up to 10 percent less power than its predecessor, the DS3000, according to IBM.
The System x3620 M3 Express server is built on the latest Intel Xeon processors. It is designed for storage-intensive workloads such as social networking, serving video, online gaming and transaction processing, IBM said. It includes integrated RAID adapters for applications such as disaster recovery.
Both systems, which combine hardware and software, are available immediately. Pricing is based on the number of arrays and overall capacity.
"These new solutions provide growing businesses with a reliable, scalable IT foundation that will help them manage information more effectively and become increasingly agile in the way they work, access resources and support customers," said IBM's global director of midmarket marketing Ron Kline in a statement.
In a recent study, IBM said it found that only 54 percent of leaders of medium-sized companies said they believed they knew how to successfully cope with increasingly complex business conditions. Sixty-three percent were planning significant changes to their technology infrastructures as a way to better manage complexity.
The company has launched a website for medium-sized businesses on strategies for managing what it calls the "information explosion".