Amdahl Corp has expanded its mainframe Unix offerings with Enterprise File Manager, a system designed to give customers a high-capacity, automated system that centrally stores and manages data in heterogeneous computing environments. The company says the Enterprise File Manager is particularly suited to supporting large distributed networks where diverse applications are run on disparate hardware, including the gamut from personal computers through workstations, minicomputers and mainframes to supercomputers. Under the early evaluation programme, it has been tested in the aerospace, automotive and telecommunications industries. The product is designed to go with the flow with regard to downsizing while justifying the retention of at least one mainframe, since it is intended to alleviate the worries of downsizing data processing managers that they will lose control of vital files that cost millions of dollars to create. Built on Amdahl’s UTS 2.1 Unix and new Amdahl UniTree Release 1.0 software, it also uses Network Systems Corp’s NSC 7200 Network Computer Controller, which is resold and supported by Amdahl in the US. The NSC 7200 links the central server to local networks network supports Network File System or File Transfer Protocol services over multiple Ethernet or FDDI connections. The file manager also supports such third-party products as the Storage Technology Corp STK 4400 tape silo and UltraNet high-speed network. A concept rather than a uniquely defined product, it will be implemented to suit the customer’s individual needs. UniTree is based on the Distributed Computing Solutions UniTree 1.6.2 distributed hierarchical storage management system, but includes modifications to meet the requirements of large-scale Unix environments. Amdahl enhancements are designed to improve reliability and enable customers make optimal use of disk and tape silo technologies. From the central storage server, files can be accessed by any client computer offering TCP/IP and supporting either file transfer protocol. Amdahl UniTree adheres to the emerging IEEE Mass Storage Reference Model and can manage thousands of Terabytes of data, and protect and restore data without disrupting operations. Cached files lost in a disk crash are automatically and transparently restored to on-line status from their back-ups. Prices for Enterprise File Managers vary depending on the size and capacities of mainframes and storage subsystems required and on how much of the hardware is already in at a customer site. Initial licence fees begin at $20,000 for UTS 2.1, $66,000 for Amdahl UniTree. The NSC 7200 controller is $40,000 to $78,000. Fees begin at $52,000 for systems implementation and $40,000 for performance tuning.
