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Enterprise Storage
IBM to Offer Ciscos iSCSI-savvy IP Storage Switch
IBM this week said it will begin reselling Cisco Systems Inc.s MDS 9000 IP storage modules, which allow users to plug remote storage devices into storage-area networks (SAN) via the iSCSI protocol and tunnel between SANs using the FCIP (Fibre Channel over IP) protocol. Cisco is offering IP blades that enable IP storage support for both the iSCSI and FCIP protocols in Ciscos Multilayer DataCenter Switch (MDS) 9000 switches and directors. Nancy Marrone, an analyst at Enterprise Storage Group Inc. of Milford, Mass., said that by integrating the iSCSI and FCIP ports into the MDS 9000, Cisco eliminates the need for external gateways and additional switch platforms, greatly reducing the cost of storage. “The cost of a blade will ultimately be cheaper than the cost of an external switch/gateway, and management costs should be reduced, as there is no need for a separate element manager. Its a nice option for any customer looking to do remote replication over an IP network or hooking a remote/workgroup iSCSI network into the data center,” Marrone said.
Read the full story on:Computerworld
CA, Sony in Storage Products Deal
Computer Associates International Inc. this week announced a global alliance with electronics giant Sony Corp. to integrate CAs storage applications with Sonys storage hardware. The first products from the alliance encompass a line of tape storage solutions using Sonys WORM hardware and libraries with CAs BrightStor and ARCServe backup software. In a joint statement the companies said, “The solutions are especially appealing to customers in vertical markets such as those financial services institutions that must adhere to SEC record retention rules,” among others.
Read the full story on:Newsday.com
Personal Storage
SureVault Systems Gain FireWire 800 Support
Kano Technologies Corp. this weekannounced the addition of FireWire 800 connectivity to its SureVault 800 RAID-5 desktop storage systems. The SureVault 800 line is Mac OS X and Windows XP compatible. It stripes data to three IDE hard disk drives simultaneously and are available in storage capacities that range from 360GB to 850GB. Manufacturers suggested retail prices starting at $2,199.
Read the full story on:MacCentral
Storage Business
NetApp Signs Distributors Avnet, Arrow
After saying it planned to start moving its NAS appliances through two-tier distribution more than a year ago, Network Appliance Inc. is taking action. NetApp this week announced agreements with the North American Computer Products group of Arrow Electronics Inc. group and Avnet Hall-Mark under which about 100 of its solution providers—but not its global and large regional partners—will be required to place orders through the distributors. “We always said it was a matter of time, not when we would do it,” said Leonard Iventosch, vice president of channels at NetApp. Iventosch said NetApps goals for bringing its appliances through distribution are two-fold: let the distributors take care of administrative details so NetApp can focus on its core business, and use the distributors to expand its business to even more solution providers.
Read the full story on:CRN