Tools Maximize Backup and Recovery Options

Enterprises looking to get more out of existing backup and recovery infrastructures will see several new options from storage vendors at this weeks Storage Decisions show in Chicago.

BlueArc Corp., FalconStor Software Inc., Softek Storage Solutions Corp. and Onaro Inc. plan to debut offerings at the show.

Rolling out the first software suite for its high-end NAS (network-attached storage) Titan SiliconServer hardware architecture, BlueArc will announce the availability of virtual servers, policy-based data migration, iSCSI support, remote volume mirroring and WORM file system support, said BlueArc officials in San Jose, Calif. Enabling administrators to build up to eight local servers featuring separate IP addresses and policies within a single physical system, virtual servers allow end users to migrate policy-based data between servers in a clustered or nonclustered failover environment.

BlueArcs new Data Migrator combines with the software to migrate trigger-based data between storage tiers and features a rules-based policy engine, an analysis tool to gauge potential impact, and a scheduler option to set up single or recurring tests.

Titan customer Tom Burns, director of special projects for CORE Feature Animation, in Toronto, a division of CORE Digital Pictures Inc., said the new software suite should bolster flexibility for his large Linux cluster.

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“Some of the upgrades coming from BlueArc are very interesting to us because theyll give us greater bandwidth to and from the Titan filers,” said Burns. “Were always constrained with performance.”

Burns company is at work on a three-dimensional, digitally animated motion picture. Hes currently running three Titans as part of an environment with 92TB of data stored on both Fibre Channel and ATA equipment.

The Titans new iSCSI support, offering a maximum of 8,192 LUNs (logical unit numbers) per Titan and an integrated NAS and iSCSI system, will help the company prepare for lower storage costs in the future. “In the motion picture business, were always changing the [technology] requirements. Anything that gives us more flexibility to respond to those changes in our environment is key,” Burns added.

BlueArcs remote volume mirroring capability is offered in two configurations: up to 500 meters and up to 10 kilometers, according to company officials.

Also at Storage Decisions, FalconStor will announce Continuous Data Replication, which substitutes traditional tape-based backup for a disk-based model. Due within the next 45 days, the new data protection service combines a new feature in FalconStors IPStor appliance with the companys virtual tape library technology to provide replication of a users system as an up-to-date, fullpoint-in-time image, according to John Lallier, vice president of technology for FalconStor, in Melville, N.Y.

For its part, Onaro will broaden the reach of its SANscreen Predictive Change Management software this week by announcing full SMI-S (Storage Management Initiative Specification) support.

Next quarter, the company will release its new business continuity offering, which performs disaster recovery tests after changes take place within a replicated IT environment, said officials of Boston-based Onaro.

Softek, of Vienna, Va., plans to announce the availability of its Disaster Recovery Manager. Featuring a new database underpinning, the product allows faster discovery of file status to quickly assess which files are able to be recovered. In addition, Softek will unveil enhancements to its Replicator product line that will enable easier installation and configuration without taking the product offline, company officials said.

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