IBM bolsters storage arrays

IBM bolstered storage family with the introduction of new storage arrays targeted at midsize and enterprise-sized companies.The company introduced high-end DS8700 array, which provides 2.5x the performance of the DS8300 and is 50% more energy efficient. 

It enables full disk encryption for the hard drives and allows the use of STEC solid state drives with software that automatically migrates data from Fibre Channel to SSDs. The DS8700 is based on the Power6 processor and starts at $290,000 – its introduction has been much anticipated as EMC recently upgraded its Symmetrix storage platform with the V-Max and Hitachi introduced new high-end Universal Storage Platform arrays.

The new DS8700 provides DS8300 users with a non-disruptive upgrade and is backward-compatible to previous DS8300 hard drives, drive enclosures, tools, scripts and copy services. IBM will continue to sell the DS8300 and DS8100 arrays. It uses PCI-Express buses to improve performance and scales to 1,024 drives.

IBM also introduced the new IBM Storage System DS3950 midrange storage system, which has an 8Gbps Fibre Channel interface and is designed for data-intensive applications, and enhanced N Series network-attached storage servers. The company also rolled out the new Performance Accelerator Modules, which it OEMs from NetApp, that use SSDs to enhance storage performance.

IBM also rolled out the IBM System Storage EXN3000 expansion disks, which are Serial Attached SCSI disks, for the N Series arrays.

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