Platform 3D storage scaling

As technology continues to evolve, some data centre challenges become more complex even while new opportunities emerge. Take scalability – nothing new in and of itself, but taking it into the third dimension could help turn a data centre into an information centre. By Bob Plumridge, EMEA CTO Hitachi Data Systems.

The information centre is the data centre's next stage of evolution: intelligent data management that automatically adapts to meet critical business needs. For enterprise IT departments, the information centre represents the ultimate goal, supporting business-critical processes with ultra low demands on man hours and OPEX.

The vision of the information centre is clear but it is less obvious how the IT department can build an infrastructure capable of supporting this evolution. How can the data centre transform into a virtualised, automated, cloud-ready and sustainable environment that intelligently supports business goals?

At the heart of this transformation is a common, virtualised platform for all data with the ability to manage multi-vendor environments. The key to the effectiveness of this platform is 3D storage scaling. Storage scaling is nothing new. Many storage platforms scale out to include additional units under the same controller. Some even scale up, introducing new processors, memory or capacity to the original storage system to improve performance. The third dimension of scaling is to scale deep. Scaling deep allows the central storage system to extend over an extra layer and scale across storage systems from multiple vendors via controller-based storage virtualisation. By scaling up, scaling out and scaling deep, you can achieve 3D storage scaling.

Currently, no vendor except Hitachi Data Systems has the capability to scale both up and out. With Hitachi Data Systems' new data centre transformation solution and the Hitachi Command Suite, Hitachi Data Systems can now provide 3D storage scaling, enabling enterprises to transform their data centres and build the infrastructure necessary for the information centre of the future.

3D storage scaling in a nutshell

Scale up to meet increasing demands; dynamically add processors, connectivity, capacity in a single unit as well as scale performance with added resources. Scale out to meet multiple demands; dynamically combine multiple units into a single logical system with shared resources as well as match increased demand in virtualised server environments. Scale deep to extend value; dynamically virtualise new and existing external storage systems as well as extend advanced functions to multi vendor storage.

Data drives our world

Information has become our most valuable asset. The challenge for businesses lies in making it available and secure. Hitachi Data Systems solutions help organisations transform raw data into valuable information by delivering on a vision that IT must be virtualised, automated, cloud-ready and sustainable. We don't just sell storage. We give you solutions to make business better on every level. We help you: manage data growth, collect and connect data to create valuable information, cut costs and reduce operational complexity, empower people to access, share and secure information and lastly help organisations innovate, collaborate and grow.

Our solutions and services can enhance and change lives. They incorporate the industry's best people, products, tools and methodologies to maximise return on IT investments and minimise total cost of ownership. Our customers trust Hitachi Data Systems to protect their data, the raw resource that lies at the heart of their business. Whether you are in financial services, healthcare, media, education, retail, manufacturing, government or any other industry, your business is transformed by the value and importance of your data and the information you derive from it. Hitachi Data Systems provides information infrastructure and solutions that let your company turn data into currency to propel business.

For more information, please visit www.hds.com

About

Bob Plumridge is the CTO for Hitachi Data Systems in EMEA. In this role Bob is responsible for aligning technology vision with business strategy and evangelising this vision to the press, analysts and existing and potential customers. Bob is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the SNIA for EMEA.