IBM Accelerates Hybrid-Cloud Adoption with New All-Flash Mainframe Storage Solutions

Cloud tier of storage offers more control over where data is stored

IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced a new hybrid-cloud, all-flash family of storage solutions for mainframe users, which helps automate the movement of data to and from the cloud.  With hybrid-cloud storage capabilities IBM z Systems clients now have a new level of control to store their data where it makes the best economic and business sense.

Beyond automating the movement of data to and from the cloud, these solutions can provide savings in CPU costs and utilization. When archiving large data sets, having a cloud tier of storage frees the CPU for new workloads such as Cognitive and Machine Learning.

Larger volumes of more complex data have put an emphasis on archiving and backup tasks in IBM z Systems environments, which in turn is consuming more resources and higher percentage of IT budgets. By making the cloud available as another storage tier, the new DS8880 Transparent Cloud Tiering feature provides multiple options for reducing backup and archiving costs and complexity.

The IBM DS8880F with Transparent Cloud Tiering also integrates with IBM Cloud Object Storage to provide a foundation object storage layer for on-premises private cloud implementations or to be used to build off-premises object stores using public cloud resources. The Transparent Cloud Tiering feature can also provide direct connectivity to IBM Bluemix Infrastructure public cloud storage resources for clients who want to build hybrid cloud solutions that leverage the advantages of multiple architectures on-site and in the cloud.

Transparent Cloud Tiering leverages existing DS8880 infrastructure through a microcode upgrade and software license activation with no additional hardware required. It uses the existing Ethernet ports; includes encryption, auditing, and security features; and supports IBM Bluemix, IBM Cloud Object Storage, OpenStack Swift and Amazon S3 Object Store connectivity.

Availability
With its introduction into the DS8880 line, IBM Transparent Cloud Tiering functionality is now available across the IBM Storage portfolio, including IBM Storwize, FlashSystem, VersaStack, SAN Volume Controller and Elastic Storage Server solutions. Simplified licensing enables you to leverage the software defined storage capabilities of the market-leading IBM Spectrum Storage Suite no matter which IBM storage solution you deploy.