Virtual Storage Startup Eyes SMBs

Posted by Mary Jander on May 2, 2008

Tags: Infrastructure,  Other,  Virtualization

Channel: Data Center, Other, Virtualization

A self-funded startup based in Sudbury, Mass., is reaching out to VARs and OEMs with iSCSI software that creates virtual storage pools from x86 computers for quick-and-easy SANs.

Kapsean Inc., founded in 2003, says a CD loaded with its ISCUBE Storage Server OS can make a storage array or brick out of any standard PC, notebook, or laptop computer, including OEM or "whitebox" versions. The vendor says resellers can bundle its software with PCs for SAN-seeking SMBs. The product will also work with virtualized networks.

Kapsean sells its ISCUBE software in four versions: The most basic program, MyiDisk, goes out into the network, locating whitebox storage that is running an ISCUBE agent and making that storage appear as a virtual drive in the user's own PC. MyiStorage does the same thing, but creates multiple virtual drives for use by servers. MyiVault acts as a disk repository for backing up or archiving data from Windows clients; and MyiGrid creates a multi-node pool of storage that can handle RAID 0, 1, 5, and 6 and provide dynamic volume management from LAN-based PCs.

Kapsean isn't actually shipping any products, though its CDs are in a series of beta tests, and execs say pricing for the basic MyiDisk software is about $50 per seat. The company plans to offer its software in downloadable public beta form later this month, execs say.