Channel Strategies for the CIOStorage channel news roundup for Dec. 16 to Dec. 22, 2010
LTO-5 tape can't stop backup hardware trend toward disk
Heading into 2011, reports of the death of tape backup
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continue to be an exaggeration, and the emergence of faster and denser LTO-5
tape could spark an increase in interest in the age-old backup
hardware medium. But the general consensus is that even LTO-5 won't stop the ongoing trend
toward disk
backup and data
deduplication technology.
Last year saw larger, faster and more scalable disk-based hardware product updates hitting the market, typically with improved integration of backup software and support for Symantec Corp.'s OpenStorage Technology (OST) API. Declining reliance on the virtual tape library (VTL) interface also continued, according to a Storage magazine Purchasing Intentions survey.
"Organizations now want preconfigured, pre-tested solutions vs. trying to integrate their own," said Dave Russell, a research vice president at Gartner Inc. "The other trend is that the need for backup software to emulate tape has really diminished now. The backup software has gotten to the point where it understands disk."
Read more about LTO and LTO-5 tape in this tip.
Cloud storage gateway presents primary storage options
Early adopters of a cloud storage gateway are proceeding cautiously, but say they see the hybrid systems as viable options for primary storage.
Startups such as Cirtas Systems Inc., Nasuni Corp., Panzura, StorSimple Inc. and TwinStrata Inc. have launched gateways over the past year, designed to move data off to cloud service providers.
The products are aimed at different types of use cases -- Cirtas handles block storage, Nasuni is for files, and Panzura and StorSimple specialize in Microsoft Exchange and SharePoint, for example -- but the concept is the same. They bundle protocols for communicating with the cloud as well as storage management features such as snapshots, data compression, deduplication and tiering. Some are sold as virtual appliances and others as hardware appliances with a small amount of local storage.
Read more about cloud storage in this Q&A.
Hot IT disaster recovery trends for 2011
2010 has been an interesting year for disaster recovery planners and IT practitioners in general. While the constant chatter about economic doom and gloom seems to have come to a long-awaited end, it hasn't exactly been replaced with exuberant talk of economic recovery. The global recession has forced many IT organizations to look at ways to get things done on a reduced budget, and has created an opportunity to investigate different IT disaster recovery options that may not necessarily have been considered in a "business as usual" economy. This article outlines some of the disaster recovery trends we can expect moving into 2011.
Read the full story on the predicted disaster recovery trends for 2011.
2010 data storage news topped by storage array M&A, cloud storage
Blockbuster acquisitions for storage systems vendors proved the value of data storage and generated some of the top data storage news in 2010. Other hot topics included data storage management, data reduction and cloud storage. This article summarizes some of the biggest news stories of the year. They include the following: Hewlett-Packard (HP) Co. outbids Dell Inc. for 3PAR; EMC Corp. acquires Isilon Systems Inc.; Dell buys Compellent Technologies Inc. (and others); Management software takes priority over storage; Data shrinkage inches beyond backup; Vendors build roads to the cloud; and Solid state remains wait and see.
Read more about the top 2010 data storage news items.
Cloud backup solutions poised for increased adoption
Perhaps the most prominent trend this year in outsourced backup was the explosion in the number of managed service providers (MSPs) promoting cloud backup solutions or online backup services.
Lauren Whitehouse, a senior analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group, recalled tracking approximately 250 MSPs two years ago. Today, cloud backup MSPs number in the thousands, from major vendors to regional providers, she noted.
"There's a lot more evangelism going on," Whitehouse said. "People are demonstrating cost models that show benefits for certain profiles of companies. People are feeling more secure in sending data out into the cloud. So, all the things are lining up for it to become more adopted in the coming years."
Read more about cloud backup in this article.
Additional storage news
Check out last week's storage channel news roundup.
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