Hitachi has launched policy-based management, automatic provisioning and other tools, and as well as co-branding AppIQ’s SRM product, has integrated AppIQ’s CIM or SMI-S interface to provide access to third-party storage hardware.
AppIQ is one of the highest profile of the clutch of SRM start-ups that have appeared over the last two or so years, and the deal with Hitachi will hugely strengthen its hand in a very competitive market.
Hitachi’s rivals EMC Corp [EMC] and Hewlett Packard Co [HPQ] launched automatic storage capacity provisioning tools in 2002, and IBM Corp [IBM] followed suit in March this year.
Hitachi insisted however that although it may be late to market, its tool is far stronger. Automated provisioning involves configuration of servers, SAN components and arrays, and the depth of automation and capabilities vary widely between products.
Hitachi’s tool is promised to stretch from server through SAN to array, and will not require the of use third-party element managers, the company promised.
Also beefing up Hitachi’s storage management software line-up are a policy manager, and a single-screen tool tying together updated versions of Hitachi’s existing tuning, data protection, and device management software. The company has also launched a storage services manager, which provides topology and monitoring services.
This article was based on material originally published by ComputerWire.
