F5's new ARX4000 can handle around 2 billion files and its new Data Manager software looks closely into storage environments, analyzes usage patterns and trends, and then uses "intelligent file virtualization" technology to automate tiering, simplify backup processes, and aid in capacity planning. The software is designed to help storage managers understand what types of data the company has, how much capacity it's consuming, who is using it, and the age of the files. ONStor's new Pantera integrated gateway and storage systems include file virtualization software that's designed to be simple to install and manage, and promises enterprise-level high availability at a relatively low cost. It allows IT departments to consolidate file servers into a single virtual file server.
File virtualization is growing in importance as businesses look for ways to control and manage the explosive growth in files being stored while they move toward the virtual data center. Steve Duplessie, founder and senior analyst at the Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) , said Windows data migration is a major challenge for IT managers and it's being made more difficult by the explosive growth in data. "It is astounding to me that so few focus on solving this real world problem," he said in a statement. AutoVirt's software, he said, can help IT departments ease that pain-point.
Landberg said AutoVirt is cheaper than high-end products from companies like F5, Brocade, and EMC, and it provides more features than lower-end copy programs. And the ability to work with any NAS product differentiates it from products like those offered by ONStor and others.
Jeff Boles, senior analyst with Taneja Group , said file virtualization is being used in a different fashion by various vendors, with some focusing on data mobility and migration, some for tiering, and some for aggregating NAS for performance. He noted that AutoVirt is targeting a real problem. "It is hard to migrate data across boxes without staff and resources. The ability to automate it and make it transparent can be a big help," he told Byte and Switch.
The big challenge for companies like AutoVirt comes down the road when file virtualization becomes a common feature in broader, more comprehensive storage products. "This is an example of high-end features moving down to the mid-market, and eventually file virtualization will be integrated into systems," said Boles. "Standalone products will have to answer the question of what else can they do with file virtualization, like enabling information lifecycle management."
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