Sun Microsystems Inc today unveiled a new framework that uses Java to enable network administrators to set policies and priorities for the way application data is stored. The technology, code-named Project StoreX, works by creating a Java- based, common storage management platform that allows what Sun calls management awareness between applications. The problem that exists today is that everyone’s building applications that are independent of each other, so the management and administration systems in one application aren’t aware of what the other applications are doing, said Jeff Allen, Sun’s VP marketing for network storage, So if each application requests a service, for example ‘When my hard drive is 70% full, store all my data,’ it happens on a first come, first served basis, with no consideration for what the application is, or how critical it may be to the network. Whether its storage, response time or application performance, Allen said unless the applications know about each others’ management systems, they have no way to co- operate or enforce any kind of policy between themselves. The tools enable vendors to open up their application’s management interface so that other applications can communicate with it. This enables the administrator to set up Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and contracts between applications, and to enforce certain, pre-configured policies. It will eliminate the chaos and clobbering between applications as systems get more and more complex, said Allen, it reduces development time dramatically. Developers just need one set of tools and they can build common objects that won’t have to be re-written each time you need to interface with another application. Ultimately, he said the framework goes way beyond storage. Over time, Sun will roll out a series of other tools including performance monitoring tools, integration to Jini technology and so on. An early version of the tools have already been issued to a number of key developers for testing. The runtime version will be released in the first quarter 1999 and in April, Sun will make it available, via its web site, to all its 750,000 developers. The StoreX developer CD- ROM and includes StoreX Runtime, tools, documentation and tutorials. Support will be available through the Sun Developer Connection Program, a subscription-based support service for developers, and will include quarterly delivery of early access software, documentation and source as well as currently shipping Project StoreX compliant components, the company said. Although pricing hasn’t been formerly set yet, Allen said Sun would charge a small fee for the kit. Project StoreX is initially available for both the Solaris Operating Environment and Microsoft Windows, as well as any compliant platform running JVM. Already, a host of vendors, including Oracle, Veritas, StorageTek and Seagate Technology, have come out in support of the solution. á
