IBM Unveils Toolset To Improve Digital Media Storage

IBM on Friday said it would introduce next week a methodology and toolset for digital media storage environments.

The Management Complexity Factor for Media includes an evaluation of a media firm's environment, from hardware and software to processes and standards, to produce a custom plan for improvements. The methodology and toolset will be demonstrated at the National Association of Broadcasters' conference in Las Vegas, April 14-17.

IBM said media companies need greater efficiency to help reduce costs in meeting increasing storage needs. "By quickly and cost-effectively analyzing the interconnected IT and storage environments that increasingly comprise media operations, MCF for Media helps our clients identify opportunities for improvement and align their IT and business strategies," Steve Canepa, VP of media and entertainment for IBM, said in a statement.

Among the benefits of MCF For Media's analysis is the production of a plan to reduce the time of finding content and making decisions about using particular video clips on demand, IBM said. The new offering includes NovusCG's asset-based delivery model, proprietary tools, and formalized methodologies.

IBM acquired NovusCG late last year and integrated the company's technologies into the storage and data services of IBM's Global Technology Services. Earlier that year, IBM acquired Softek Storage Solutions, which provided a range of storage products and services designed to help companies store critical business data and safely move it from system to system.

In the storage software market, IBM trails rivals EMC and Symantec. The high-growth market is being driven by businesses' need to meet data storage requirements mandated by government regulations and corporate lawyers concerned with potential litigation.