IBM upgrades storage virtualisation software

As part of its Project Big Green and its bid to help clients efficiently manage and consolidate volumes of business data, IBM has introduced its next generation storage virtualisation software.

IBM System Storage SAN Volume Controller (SVC) 4.3 software will address client demand for greener storage technologies by improving storage utilisation and scalability of applications and instilling energy efficiency.

The new IBM SVC 4.3 will serve to improve flexibility and responsiveness of IT infrastructure by creating consolidated, virtual pools of information across the enterprise, which will in turn enable IT departments to respond quicker to client needs and centrally manage resources.

IBM said its storage virtualisation technology can also reduce requirements for additional physical storage hardware systems, which can ultimately reduce overall energy usage in the data centre.

The IBM SVC 4.3 also includes space-efficient virtual disks, space-efficient FlashCopy, virtual disk mirroring and improved interoperability.

IBM has also launched its System Storage Productivity Centre (SSPC), which is the management console for SVC systems, designed to provide clients with a superior management platform, integrating virtual and physical infrastructure management.

SSPC includes TotalStorage Productivity Centre for Replication 3.4 preinstalled, providing simplified management of advanced copy services offered by SVC FlashCopy, and Metro and Global Mirror.

IBM TotalStorage Productivity Centre software helps increase energy efficiency by offering a solution that helps customers reduce wasted disk space by identifying duplicate data, orphan data, temporary data, and non-business data.

Vice President of storage stack solutions at IBM Barry Rudolph said the developments with the SVC 4.3 will improve storage utilisation and reduce energy consumption for greener data centres, saying that "...this latest version from IBM further showcases our innovation and represents our commitment to clients to incorporate green, efficient technologies into our storage portfolio to help clients manage the data centre crisis of today."