The IBM XIV Storage System (2810-A14) provides the hardware platform required for the IBM XIV Storage System Software. The combination of hardware and software enables a revolutionary grid-based architecture designed to provide an exceptionally easy to use, high performance, scalable, reliable enterprise disk system for UNIX, Linux, Windows, and other supported distributed open server platforms.
Aimed primarily at Web 2.0 and digital media applications, IBMs broader XIV strategy still remains something of a mystery, prompting some interesting comments in the blogosphere.
IBM intends to deliver several additional features for the XIV Storage System at some point in the future, including best practice configuration guidance, change management, asset awareness, capacity utilization, performance trending, operational reporting capabilities, single sign-on capabilities, and to add support for XIV Storage System as a disk system managed by IBM System Storage SAN Volume Controller. Sounds just a little like the product isn't quite done yet, quipped EMC chief strategy officer Barry Burke on his blog.
Crucially, IBM not yet released any XIV pricing information.
Clearly, where XIV is concerned, there are still plenty of ts left to be crossed by IBM.