IBM has revealed new additions to its cloud storage suite, including a new pricing structure and different options for companies wanting to archive data.
Revealed at IBM's Interconnect conference on Monday, the new tools include 'IBM Cloud Object Storage Flex' a new 'pay as you use' payment model that promises to provide greater flexibility when it comes to storing data.
Typically businesses archive data in either expensive, but quickly accessible 'Hot' storage for everyday data, or slower but cheaper 'Cold' storage for archiving. The need to access information and insights as fast as possible often forces companies into opting for the premium storage models for most of their data.
The Cloud Object Storage Flex solution offers a simplified pricing model aimed at clients that find their data storage needs are often indeterminate or unpredictable, providing the cost savings of cold storage while maintaining accessibility. As a pay as you go model, clients will only pay for what they use, with prices based on the capacity and outbound bandwidths.
"Clients need faster access to more of their data to become cognitive businesses with a deep understanding of markets and customer needs," said John Morris, general manager of IBM Cloud Object Storage.
"IBM's new cloud storage services and innovative pricing model provides clients an efficient and less expensive way to act on insights from unpredictable data patterns," added Morris.
David Kenny, senior vice president of Watson and IBM Cloud platform, explained the move was to "make entrepreneurs smarter and faster" by providing a "phenomenally flexible storage" at a "significantly lower price point than competitors". Although specific prices were not mentioned, Kenny did say that prices could potentially be up to 75% lower than services provided by rival Microsoft Azure.
To celebrate the launch of the new service, IBM is offering a free one year promotion allowing users to store up to 25GB of data per month.
IBM is keen to encourage users to opt into the full range of cloud storage options, instead of relying only on pricier 'Hot' options. Its new Cloud Object Storage Cold Vault will join IBM's existing storage tiers on the Bluemix platform, however it promises to provide market leading speeds for data analysis in Cold storage.
IBM also announced it would be expanding its current partnership with NetApp, providing native support for IBM services to customers on the platform. NetApp's AltaVault cloud backup will now be able to automatically be able to send backups to IBM Cloud Object Storage, promising to reduce the need for data centre expansions and allow users to make use of IBM security services.
