IT departments have to deal with two different categories of data – structured and unstructured (such as video, photo, social media, etc.) – so vendors have begun to develop solutions to meet both needs.
Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) has redefined its storage and management strategy to consolidate an entire storage portfolio under a single command suite now called Hitachi Unified Storage. It will also work with the Hitachi Command Suite under a single management framework.
Both solutions are focused on mid-sized organizations that lack the storage volumes, IT resources, or budgets to acquire and manage separate platforms for block and file data. “We wanted to provide a high-end solution to mid-range enterprises and, for large companies, it will be a complementary solution to their storage environment,” André Cury Vilela, CTO and products director for Latin America, told RCR Wireless News. HDS defines mid-sized as firms with between 500 and 1,000 employees.
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With this move, the company will strengthen its presence in the mid-sized market while addressing a single interface that has the ability to handle all data types in the same environment. This will make it easier for IT departments to manage storage, Vilela said. “We will gain market share,” said Vilela, when asked about its competitors, such as EMC, IBM, and HP.
“With the Command Suite you can manage all storage, including structured and unstructured data,” noted Vilela, adding that companies also want to store metadata. “To have a unique software, with a unique interface, is how we differentiate ourselves from others.”
The announcement represents a milestone in the ongoing commitment of HDS to transform data centers into information clouds where access to blocks, files, and objects is seamless and resides in a fluid and virtualized environment, Vilela said.
Move toward the cloud
HDS has also unveiled plans to make a series of announcements later this year that will further advance its information cloud strategy. HDS intends to introduce the new Hitachi NAS Platform F series of products to help customers manage the growth of unstructured data in the lower tier of the market. HDS also plans to introduce a backup appliance. This appliance will be based on deduplication IP technology HDS developed to enable faster, more reliable, and more cost-effective data protection.
