Veritas Moves Toward Simpler Infrastructure Management

Veritas Software Corp. is simplifying its approach to storage management. At its annual Visions user conference held in Las Vegas, the software vendor on Tuesday is unveiling integrated management software for storage networks and server clusters. CommandCentral Storage 4.0 and CommandCentral Availability 4.0 should be available in July. In addition, Veritas will allow Web-based access to the management products, including a single console with multiple capabilities.

Storage 4.0 combines the heterogeneous SAN management of Veritas' SANPoint Control with the storage-resource management of its Storage Reporter. SRM helps customers cut wasted storage hardware purchases. In Availability 4.0, the vendor takes features from its Global Cluster Manager to help with cluster visualization and operational control that could help business-technology executives meet service-level agreements more efficiently.

Both products are modules, like building blocks, under the CommandCentral framework that also will include the Service 4.0 capability that provides the Web-based views. The suite will cost roughly $64,000, and each module should cost approximately $20,000 on its own.

One analyst said Veritas is making progress toward automation and simplicity on the way toward utility computing. "Before, customers had to configure each module separately," said Nancy Marrone-Hurley at the Enterprise Storage Group. "Now they have point-and-click capabilities to add features, thanks to multiple levels of integration by Veritas."