The software running on the CSM is based on the code running IBM's SAN Volume Controller appliance, which IBM started shipping this year. That product, priced at $60,000 for the ability to handle up to 2 Tbytes of storage, runs on two Linux-based servers (see IBM Plays With Self (Virtually) and IBM Virtually in the Game).
The CSM, by contrast, has a list price of $112,000 for a dual-node module that supports up to 2 Tbytes. Both the CSM and the standalone SAN Volume Controller provide the same maximum throughput of 140,000 I/O operations per second (IOPS). Moreover, the IBM virtualization module will initially support only IBM's FastT and Shark storage arrays.
Are we missing something here?
Cisco and IBM say the advantage of buying the Cisco module -- instead of deploying the IBM appliances separately -- is that it's more tightly coupled and packaged inside the Cisco MDS 9000 switch. That means the SAN Volume Controller is able to use Cisco-native features, such as Virtual SANs (VSANs) as well as other management services.
"We believe this joint solution between two significant companies provides some credence to the intelligent storage application space," says Ed Chapman, senior director of product management for the Storage Technology Group at Cisco. He says the CSM is the product of two years of joint development by both companies.
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