"SMBs continue to face the same issues that large enterprises are dealing with when it comes to the deluge of data¾they are seeing an ever-increasing number of feature-rich documents, limitless e-mails, audio, and video files, data-intensive new applications, and a slew of government regulations by which they must abide," said Charlie Andrews, director of IBM System Storage product marketing. "The DS3300 storage system provides an unprecedented solution to these issues, helping even the smallest of businesses to easily upgrade their infrastructures and better manage their data, without putting a strain on the IT administrator's time."
The DS3300 storage system is the newest addition to the IBM System Storage DS3000 product series and is designed to meet the consolidation needs of a wide range of users. With iSCSI interfaces, next-generation serial-attached SCSI (SAS) back-end technology, and DS3000 management software, the DS3300 storage system provides businesses with robust, reliable, cost-effective shared storage. For even the smallest of businesses, transitioning direct attached storage (DAS) configurations to an Internet Protocol (IP) SAN is now virtually effortless. With Installation wizards to guide administrators through setup and configuration, even businesses that lack experienced IT staff can easily install a DS3300 solution, the company said.
"The DS3300 will be an ideal solution for SMBs who are transitioning from internal to external storage and have limited IT resources and expertise to dedicate to such a task," said Sean Hobday, executive vice president of sales, Zones. As an IBM System Storage volume reseller and Business Partner, we find that many small and medium businesses require quick and simple implementation and a value-add for their business and would benefit from a solution like the DS3300, Hobday.
The DS3300 is designed to provide as an easy-to-use IP SAN (iSCSI storage area network) solution for SMB customers looking for an alternative to a Fibre Channel SAN as they transition from a DAS environment. The DS3300 may be shared between applications, servers, computer rooms, and remote locations for increased efficiencies across a company's IT environment.
The IBM System Storage DS3000 series of products now offers a full range of host interface options¾ SAS, Fibre Channel and, now, with the introduction of the DS3300, iSCSI. All three interface-types provide flexible and scalable solutions that can deliver higher performance and reliability at an affordable price, so an organization can choose the right technology base.
The DS3300 supports SAS hard disk drives and expansion through the IBM System Storage EXP3000 Expansion Unit for up to 14.4 terabytes of raw capacity that allow for the storage systems to scale up to 48 hard disk drives. Additionally, customers can elect to include enhanced data protection features such as FlashCopy for point-in-time, full volume copies of data, and VolumeCopy for full logical drive replication.
The IBM System Storage DS3300 will be generally available September 7 and will start at a list price of $5,000.
Simple SAN Solution
Additionally, IBM is announcing two new Express models based on the DS3400, the Fibre Channel array in the DS3000 series, that have achieved designation as Microsoft Simple SAN Solutions. This qualification was developed by Microsoft to aid in providing customers with a simplified SAN installation and management experience.
The DS3400 solutions incorporate IBM SAN16B-2 Switches and IBM Emulex 4 Gbps FC 1-port PCI-E Enterprise Host Bus Adapters (HBA). In order to make the process of installing and managing a SAN as uncomplicated as possible, IBM is working with Emulex to deliver "EZPilot" software to configure the various components of the DS3400 Express Kit and help small and medium businesses in moving to the next step in their storage management. EZPilot ties together the DS3400, the Brocade Switch, and the Emulex HBAs in a manner that takes the burden off the IT manager and makes the installation process as smooth and easy as possible, the company says. This qualification further demonstrates the DS3000 series' ease of installation, use and management, said IBM.
Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.
IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn:
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