DataCore
Software, a provider of SANvirtualisation software, has announced
a new, iSCSI-enabled, VM Starter SAN package that the firms
believes offers tosmall to medium sized
businesses (SMBs) enterprise data protection
at a fraction of the cost.
This version of
the firm’s existing SANmelody solution comes bundled and
ready-to-use and includes auto-allocating thin provisioning storage
support, SANmotion data migration technology, caching software,
snapshots for fast disk backups, auto failover/failback data
protection via synchronous network mirroring as well as remote site
disaster recovery support through asynchronous IP mirror
replication.
DataCore claims
that VM Starter SAN provides the simplest and most affordable way
on the market for SMBs to get started realising the cost savings
and productivity benefits of a fully featured,
virtual SAN.
Its strategy is to
enable SMBs to enjoy all the benefits of enterprise-class data
protection solutions at a fraction of the cost. DataCore insists
that there is a large gap in the market for VM data protection and
that the new solution meets the need that exists between low-end,
Windows system replication solutions that provide single system
data protection (e.g. NSI Double-Take), which cost thousands, and
higher-end, enterprise class SAN-based, multi-system data
protection systems (e.g. IBM, HDS), which are proprietary, complex
and cost tens of thousands of dollars, or more.
“The big problem
for many Windows-based shops and especially new VM environments
seeking disaster recovery and auto-failover solutions is the price
point,” commented Jack Fegreus, president, Open Bench Labs “This
same scenario also extends to branch offices of large corporations.
The classic example is the array of branch offices of a large bank.
In all of these cases, ease-of-use and cost must be balanced
against a very real need to maintain business continuity.”