IBM set out its elastic storage vision for how firms will manage big data.

The firm launched IBM Elastic Storage Server, an integrated software defined storage appliance that combines IBM POWER8 server with storage software code named Elastic Storage.

Speaking at its Enterprise conference Jamie Thomas, head of storage said: "The reality is that many of our clients are suffering from information overload, and data centers are feeling the pressure," said Thomas "To help ease this pressure, we are providing flexibility to enable clients to choose the environment that best fits their needs, whether that is an integrated hardware/software solution through IBM, enterprise-class software on top of existing infrastructure or storage-as-a-service via the cloud. Software defined storage is disrupting the industry, and we’re leading the market by applying our storage and software heritage to the data management challenges of businesses today."

IBM said it can now provide greater efficiency to clients looking to better manage, organize and use data as a competitive tool.

Unlocking the power of insights through analytics has changed clients’ expectations of how data is processed and stored. In traditional storage environments, data is stored and analyzed in silos on disparate systems. With a software defined storage strategy, IBM combines these data management systems to make it easier for organizations to retrieve insights in near real-time to create increased efficiencies, the company said.

IBM Software Defined Storage offerings will be available through three flexible delivery models:
Storage as Software: IBM Elastic Storage, SAN Volume Controller and Virtual Storage Center
Integrated software and hardware storage solutions: IBM Elastic Storage Server
Storage via the cloud: IBM Elastic Storage on SoftLayer