EMC and CNT recently created the first storage-over-IP system that mirrors data across the Atlantic Ocean. The implementation allowed P&O Nedlloyd Container Line to mirror data between sites in Rutherford, N.J., and London on EMC Symmetrix storage systems over the companys private IP network.
EMCs SRDF (Symmetrix Remote Data Facility) and new encapsulation/decapsulation technology from CNT made the project possible. SRDF-over-IP enables automatic mirroring of files, databases and applications among EMC Symmetrix storage systems via private IP networks. By leveraging IP-based networking infrastructures, IT managers can extend the reach of SANs. However, this sort of infrastructure could create a point of failure in the network.