IBM Unveils New x86 and Mainframe Storage for Midrange Market

IBM, focusing on the slowly-but-surely-expanding midrange enterprise market, on June 1 unveiled two new storage hardware and software packages for smaller data centers that use x86-based commodity-type arrays, System x mainframe systems or both.

IBM launched versions of System Storage DS3500 Express and System x3620 M3 Express for both types of data center hardware.

The entry-level DS3500 Express is a starter storage system that provides multiple connectivity options-Fibre Channel, iSCSI and SAS-enabling storage administrators to deploy tiered storage networks.

Storage tiering keeps often-accessed data on a fast Tier 1 spinning or solid-state disk, by far the most power-hungry option; Tier 2 data, accessed less frequently, is kept on slower, less-expensive SATA (Serial ATA) disks. Tier 3 is tape storage for data that may never see the light of day again.

Tiered networks, addition to filtering out unnecessary data and files that slow up traffic, also provide immediate access to timely business data so it can be used for internal corporate analytics if needed.

System x3620 M3 Express, a higher-performance system that runs on Intel's latest Xeon multicore processors, features faster I/O throughput and is optimized for storage-intensive workloads, such as data and files from social networking sites, surveillance video installation and transaction processing, IBM said. The x3620 also includes integrated RAID adapters for disaster protection and higher data availability.

Pricing information, dependent upon number of arrays and overall capacity, is available upon consultation with IBM Global Services. Both systems are available at this time, IBM said.

A recent IBM research project involving 1,541 CEOs of midrange companies reported that 78 percent of respondents said they believe business complexity will continue to grow significantly over the next five years, but only 54 percent believe they know how to deal with it successfully.

For more information on the new IBM storage offerings, go here. IBM also has started a Website with product information for midrange businesses.