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Analyst Firm Points to New, Innovative Solutions that Offer Flexibility and Choice as the Key to Choosing iSCSI Storage System
PARSIPPANY, New Jersey – March 9, 2010 – RELDATA Inc. (www.reldata.com), the innovation leader in unified block and file storage solutions over iSCSI, highlighted today the challenge faced by mid-sized organizations in upgrading legacy iSCSI storage systems and the difficulties associated with migrating data to newer iSCSI storage systems. A recently published report by analyst firm DCIG details the issues resulting from rapid adoption of networked iSCSI storage systems deployed between 2006-2008, which were very popular among mid-sized organizations.
The DGIG report points out that first-generation iSCSI storage systems are now starting to show their age, and as a result, manufacturer warranties are expiring, resulting in expensive support and maintenance contracts.
“This is prompting more mid-sized organizations to start product refresh cycles for their existing iSCSI storage systems to get newer systems,” said Jerome Wendt, president of DCIG. “But as they do, the costs and disruption associated with this transition to a new system start to rear their ugly head.”
According to DCIG, the cost and disruption may occur in one of two possible ways: If mid-size companies decide to remain with their existing storage solutions such as Dell EqualLogic or HP LeftHand, they can leverage the migration software that may be available for their existing hardware to migrate data from the old to the new hardware so disruption generally is minimal. But there is a catch – companies are required to purchase all of their new storage from those providers to take advantage of the data migration features, leaving them with little flexibility or negotiating power when it comes to acquiring new storage since they can only buy storage from these providers in whatever storage configurations and prices they make available.
The second scenario involves switching to another storage provider, which can be “just as bad if not worse.” While organizations are always free to buy from any iSCSI storage provider, migrating their data from an older system to a new one becomes a costly and disruptive proposition. Some of the data migration difficulties may include:
In addition, there are often hidden costs associated with data migrations, such as continuing to pay maintenance on the old storage system should the data migration take longer than expected or not go as planned, or the need to obtain the vendor's professional services to successfully complete the migration of data from one system to another.
DCIG points out that new options available give users more flexibility to perform data migrations without locking them into a specific solution or making the selection of other solutions impractical to implement. One example is the RELDATA unified storage solution which includes its own data migration software that can migrate data from any iSCSI storage system to the RELDATA system. This can be accomplished without requiring third party software or contracting for expensive professional services to perform the data migration. And because RELDATA can migrate data while the application is still operating, disruption is minimal and only needs to occur during the final stages when the application switches from its current storage system to the storage presented to it by the RELDATA system.
The report concludes that storage system refreshes and data migrations are a natural part of the life cycle of any networked storage solution and beginning in 2010, more mid-sized organizations are going to face this reality. However, they can avoid this expense and disruption by looking for new and innovative solutions that offer both flexibility and choice when making a selection of an iSCSI storage system.
The DCIG report is available at http://reldata.dciginc.com/2010/02/iscsi-mid-sized-organizations-wakeup.html .
Follow RELDATA on Twitter at http://twitter.com/reldata .
About RELDATA
RELDATA is the innovation leader in unified block and file storage solutions over iSCSI which cost-effectively enable mid-size and distributed enterprises to nondisruptively consolidate, virtualize and protect data storage, providing highly scalable, cost-effective integrated storage, disaster recovery and high availability solutions. The RELDATA Unified Storage Engine (USE™) platform allows companies to integrate their existing storage infrastructure to minimize the functional compromise of siloed block and file solutions while reducing administration costs and data protection compliance risk, and preserve current storage investments at lower total costs. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, RELDATA solutions are available through a global network of value added resellers. For more information, visit www.reldata.com.
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Leading Unified Storage Solutions Provider Recognized for Technology and Partner-Centric Business Model
PARSIPPANY, New Jersey – RELDATA Inc. (reldata.com), the innovation leader in unified block and file storage solutions over iSCSI, announced today it has been named a 2010 Company to Watch by Computer Dealer News (CDN). Each year, CDN’s editorial team searches for the best up-and-coming vendors and solution providers and RELDATA has been recognized for its innovative unified storage solutions, commercial success and a rapidly growing channel program that supports profitable growth for its VAR and distribution partners.
“RELDATA’s transition to a 100 per cent channel strategy was remarkable to see in 2009. The company is embarking on providing its channel with aggressive incentives along with co-funded demand generation and marketing programs for 2010. RELDATA is also looking to add new channel partners in Canada this year. This go-to-market plan makes the unified storage solutions vendor a company to watch out for this year,” said Paolo Del Nibletto, editor, CDN – Computer Dealer News, Canada’s No. 1 IT channel publication and Web site.
RELDATA offers comprehensive unified storage solutions that cost-effectively enable mid-size and distributed enterprises to consolidate, virtualize and protect data storage. Unlike proprietary siloed block and file-based products, the RELDATA unified storage solution has been built from the ground up based on an open, software-centric architecture that allows companies to improve the mobility and sharing of data between resources and users in a fluid and cost-effective manner and rapidly enhance disaster recovery and data availability service levels, while significantly reducing storage administration and licensing costs.
Recognition by Computer Dealer News is the latest accolades earned by RELDATA, which was also listed as a CRN Top 100 Cloud Computing Vendor for 2010 in January 2009, and an Emerging Technology Vendor by CRN in July 2009.
“RELDATA is honored to be recognized as one of CDN’s Top Companies to Watch in 2010," said Steven Murphy, CEO of RELDATA. “We are committed to providing our partners and customers with purpose-built unified storage solutions that provide customers with the greatest value from their storage technology investments, and allows them to consolidate, virtualize and protect data storage while significantly reducing administration and licensing costs.”
More information about Computer Dealer News Companies to Watch in 2010 can be found on the CDN website: computerdealernews.com.
Tweet this: Computer Dealer News (CDN) Selects RELDATA as Unified Storage Company to Watch in 2010.
Follow RELDATA on Twitter at twitter.com/reldata
About CDN
Established in 1985 to serve the information needs of Canadian system integrators, computer resellers, solution providers, retailers, ISVs, SIs and VARs. Features focus on the latest technology and take an in-depth look at business issues of interest to resellers. Provides company and industry news stories and profiles which cover strategies, contracts, personnel moves and channel developments. Case studies and market studies backed by research from leading Canadian research firms are also included, along with vendor and reseller profiles. Feature topics include software development, LANs and technology overviews. CDN can be found on the web at itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/cdn/home.asp.
RELDATA is the innovation leader in unified block and file storage solutions over iSCSI which cost-effectively enable mid-size and distributed enterprises to nondisruptively consolidate, virtualize and protect data storage, providing highly scalable, cost-effective integrated storage, disaster recovery and high availability solutions. The RELDATA Unified Storage Engine (USE™) platform allows companies to integrate their existing storage infrastructure to minimize the functional compromise of siloed block and file solutions while reducing administration costs and data protection compliance risk, and preserve current storage investments at lower total costs. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, RELDATA solutions are available through a global network of value added resellers. For more information, visit reldata.com.
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PARSIPPANY, New Jersey – January 27, 2010 – RELDATA Inc. (www.reldata.com), the innovation leader in unified block and file storage solutions over iSCSI, is hosting a webcast on January 27, 2010 for its partner network, titled “Capitalizing on the Boom in Unified Storage.” The webcast will feature John McArthur, former IDC analyst and IT director for a major East Coast financial institution, who will discuss the latest trends in unified storage and how companies can position their businesses to capitalize on this signicant market opportunity.
Analysts are predicting a return to growth in the storage market in 2010. Projects that were deferred in 2009 will be implemented in 2010, because the installed base of systems is aging, expensive to maintain, and running out of available capacity. Increased adoption of server virtualization software from VMware, Citrix and Microsoft, will drive both networked storage demand and the need for higher levels of storage system availability. While storage efficiency has lagged server efficiency, unified storage brings the storage administrator the same efficiency and ease-of-administration benefits that server virtualization has brought server administrators.
About John McArthur
John McArthur is President of Walden Technology Partners, Inc., a RELDATA board member, and served Group Vice President and General Manager at IDC, a leading market research company.
Tweet this: RELDATA Webcast on Capitalizing on the Boom in Unified Storage
Follow RELDATA on Twitter at http://twitter.com/reldata
RELDATA is the innovation leader in unified block and file storage solutions over iSCSI which cost-effectively enable mid-size and distributed enterprises to nondisruptively consolidate, virtualize and protect business data across multi-vendor platforms, providing highly scalable, cost-effective integrated storage, disaster recovery and high availability solutions. The RELDATA Unified Storage Engine (USE™) platform allows companies to integrate their existing storage infrastructure to minimize the functional compromise of siloed block and file solutions while reducing administration costs and data protection compliance risk, and preserve current storage investments at lower total costs. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, RELDATA solutions are available through a global network of value added resellers. For more information, visit www.reldata.com.
RELDATA Unified Storage Solutions Address Need for Flexibility and Support for Legacy Storage Systems
PARSIPPANY, New Jersey – January 27, 2010 – RELDATA Inc. (www.reldata.com), the innovation leader in unified block and file storage solutions over iSCSI, today announced a distribution agreement with Promark Technology, a value-added distributor of data storage and document imaging products and solutions. With this agreement, Promark is now offering the RELDATA Unified Storage Engine (USE™) platform, an open, software-centric architecture that delivers superior performance for consolidation of storage within complex multi-vendor and virtualized server environments.
Promark Technology is one of the premier value added distributors (VAD) in the United States. The company’s core technology focus is distributing data storage and electronic document imaging products and solutions through a two-tier distribution channel selling to value added resellers (VARs) and system integrators. Promark leverages its direct relationships with world class technology partners.
“The RELDATA 9240i unified storage solution meets key market requirements that our VAR customers can use to deliver greater value to their clients,” said Dale Foster, president, Promark Technology. “The 9240i’s ability to consolidate both block and file storage environments, leveraging iSCSI, gives end users a flexibility that is currently missing from many existing legacy solutions embedded in today’s IT infrastructures. It is crucial that we enable our VARs to deliver solutions that maximize end-users’ investments in their existing equipment and RELDATA has an ideal solution to meet this need.”
Built from the ground up, the RELDATA Unified Storage Engine platform is based on an open, software-centric architecture that delivers superior performance for consolidation of storage within complex multi-vendor and virtualized server environments. RELDATA USE leverages the iSCSI fabric to manage block and file environments more cost-effectively than with Fibre Channel (FC) alternatives. Components of the USE platform include the 9240i Unified Storage system, along with robust replication and data migration software.
The RELDATA unified storage solution provides mid-size and remote enterprises with significant benefits compared to alternative FC networks including ease of implementation and simplified storage management that equates to significant cost savings. With RELDATA, organizations can leverage their existing storage investment while taking full advantage of standard off-the-shelf Gigabit Ethernet switches and adapters compared to costly FC switches. RELDATA USE enables organizations to deploy non-disruptive mirroring, replication, snapshot, and third party storage virtualization to lower-cost, scalable storage while achieving disaster recovery and high availability without the administration costs normally associated with FC offerings.
“RELDATA is pleased to work with a premier distributor such as Promark, an industry leader with significant expertise in data storage, to deliver our unified storage solutions to the market,” said Steven Murphy, CEO, RELDATA, Inc. “This partnership is further proof that RELDATA USE addresses the growing need to non-disruptively consolidate and simplify storage management across block and file environments, while working with other storage systems that have already been deployed to maximize IT investments.”
About Promark Technology
Promark Technology is one of the premier value added distributors of data storage products and solutions in the United States. Promark uses a two-tier distribution network; selling to value added resellers (VARs) and system integrators. Promark supports its distribution channel by offering sales and technical training, trade show and seminar support, leads, and demo equipment. Promark also supports its channel with its two-tier GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract, which enables Promark to authorize its resellers to sell GSA Schedule products to the government. www.promarktech.com.
Leading Video-on-Tap Training System Brings Advancements Found in Windows 7 Operating System to the Hearing Impaired
(GROVELAND, FL) –ClipTraining, an innovator in issue-based computer training, today announced the availability of ‘Open-Captions’ as part of the company’s Windows 7 video-on-tap online training services. Designed for individuals as well as corporate employees, ClipTraining’s on-demand Learning Management System (LMS) has adapted education to the way today’s generation receives knowledge with issue-based training video clips that are intuitive, affordable, and now available to the hearing impaired.
According to the U.S. government’s IT Accessibility & Workforce Division (ITAW), the Rehabilitation Act (amended in 1998) requires Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. Inaccessible technology interferes with an individual's ability to obtain and use information quickly and easily. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Under Section 508 (29 U.S.C. ‘794d), agencies must give disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others.
In compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, ClipTraining is supporting hearing impaired users of Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system with its online video-on-tap training solution. As the only Learning Management System (LMS) with an issues-based ‘open’ captions video training solution, ClipTraining makes Windows 7 OS training more accessible to a broader number of users. Although sometimes referred to as closed captions, open captions are burned-in, hardcoded captions based off of verbatim transcription of the original video. With ClipTraining’s approach the text becomes a permanent part of the video and cannot be turned on or off by the viewer. Instead, by selecting the on-screen CC logo (used for its familiar feel to viewers) users can see the captioned version of the video. The fonts and colors were purposely chosen to meet Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act guidelines.
The Windows 7 training series with support for the hearing impaired brings a portfolio of application training videos edited into ‘Training Clips’ that serve as on-call support for software issues. ClipTraining’s online training and testing interface reduces manual staff training and improves employee productivity by providing issue-based training. The company’s Windows 7 training series promises to significantly reduce training time requirements for the newest Windows operating system with concise 3-5 minute on-demand training overviews based on the features and functionality software users are having challenges with. This approach mitigates redundant training on topics the user has already been educated on and provides an on-demand resource that extends beyond classroom training.
According to Timothy Duggan, co-founder and CEO of ClipTraining, “Organizations today are faced with the challenge of keeping ALL employees up-to-date with the latest applications and operating systems. Where classroom and onsite computer based training (CBT) are both time consuming and costly, training videos-on-tap provide fast and effective training that is also very affordable. With the addition of open captions across our entire Windows 7 training series, the need for onsite training services is further reduced.”
Pricing and Availability
The ClipTraining Library, which includes Microsoft Windows 7, is available to single users and organizations of every size. Single user pricing starts at $75 for 12 month access and company portals start at $72 per user for 12 month access, with significant bulk discounts. To sample a free training program, please visit www.cliptraining.com .
About ClipTraining
ClipTraining ( www.cliptraining.com ), founded in 2006 by Timothy Duggan and J. Peter Bruzzese, redefines traditional, outdated methods of computer-based training with the industry’s best screencast lessons. ClipTraining has adapted education to the way today’s generation takes in knowledge by developing a complete Learning Management Systems (LMS) that is intuitive and affordable for employee training and support.
Power-Managed Deduplication Solution Increases Data Ingestion Speeds by 100 Percent
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.— Nexsan, a leading storage system provider, today announced that it has released the DeDupe SG® (“Speed with Green”) 2.0 solution.
Nexsan’s next generation of energy-efficient file storage systems are designed for data protection and disaster recovery applications that require high-performance deduplication. Integrating the latest version of the FalconStor File-Interface Deduplication System (FDS), the Nexsan DeDupe SG 2.0 is the first LAN-based deduplication system to offer high availability. As part of the most recent enhancements, Nexsan DeDupe SG 2.0 features support for Symantec’s OpenStorage (OST) protocol, which accelerates data ingestion speeds for the increased performance and efficiency that today’s mid-sized enterprises need.
The Nexsan DeDupe SG 2.0 offers redundant appliances to provide continuous data access and automatic backup application failover, raising the bar for data deduplication solutions. To dramatically increase backup speeds and reduce the complexity of recovery during a disaster, the redundant appliances offer backup server connections of up to 5.4 terabytes per hour and support for Symantec OST.
"Data deduplication technology addresses the issue of burgeoning data growth, which is a key challenge for storage administrators," said Lauren Whitehouse, senior analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group. "Adoption rates for data deduplication technology are growing because it delivers greater storage efficiency and improves the economics of disk-based backup. This technology should be at the heart of any data management strategy."
The Nexsan DeDupe SG 2.0 improves operational efficiency by leveraging the green capabilities inherent in Nexsan’s industry-leading AutoMAID® technology. This energy-saving technology transparently places disk drives into their most energy-efficient state without affecting backup performance, making DeDupe SG 2.0 systems extremely power efficient.
“Nexsan has a unique capability and one that we believe is a first in the industry: power-managed deduplication,” said George Crump, senior analyst at Storage Switzerland. “In the past, because of the deployment strategies of other solutions, all the drives needed to remain active for the deduplication process to work effectively. The Nexsan solution is designed so that the backup can be completed, deduplication cleanup processes performed, and the system be ready to be spun down soon after the backup completes.”
New features of the Nexsan DeDupe SG 2.0 include:
• Redundant appliances for high availability
• Automatic backup application failover
• Symantec OST support for additional efficiency and performance
• Support for industry-leading backup software solutions, including NetBackup
• Replication support for up to 150 remote sites
• Further automation of storage management processes
• Optional 10-Gigabit Ethernet connections
“The market demands a high-availability dedupe solution for NAS-based disk-to-disk backup environments, and now with Nexsan, we are the first to deliver it,” said Fadi Albatal, vice president of product marketing for FalconStor. “With the Nexsan DeDupe SG 2.0, FalconStor and Nexsan bring power-managed deduplication with enterprise-class reliability, scalability, and performance to meet the data protection needs of the most data intensive applications.”
“Today’s organizations require cost-effective solutions for high availability and continuous data access,” said Bob Woolery, senior vice president of marketing for Nexsan. “The Nexsan DeDupe SG 2.0 meets these requirements while providing the optimized performance and efficiency enterprises of all sizes demand. This release underscores our commitment to power-efficient deduplication solutions and further establishes Nexsan as a storage leader focused on aggressive product innovation and delivery.”
Availability
The Nexsan DeDupe SG 2.0 will be available at the end of February 2010 through the company’s worldwide channel network.
Storage industry VARs, resellers, and service providers interested in learning more about partnering with Nexsan should visit www.nexsan.com/reseller_signup.php .
For More About the FalconStor FDS 2.0 Announcement
FalconStor® FDS Version 2.0 Delivers Enterprise-Class High Availability Plus Double the Performance with Symantec OST Support http://www.falconstor.com/en/pages/?pn=Press&gid=600
About Nexsan
Nexsan Corporation is a leading provider of energy-efficient, long-term storage systems. Nexsan delivers secure storage appliances and modular, capacity-optimized disk-storage systems for a broad range of applications including fixed content storage and archiving, email, medical imaging, compliance and litigation support, disk-based backup, digital video security, and rich media. Nexsan’s solutions are the choice of small and medium-sized companies as well as large global enterprises and major governmental agencies around the world that are seeking cost-correct, high-density storage solutions. Founded in 1999 and based in Thousand Oaks, California, Nexsan sells its products exclusively through a select global network of VARs, OEMs and system integrators. For more information, please see the company’s website at www.nexsan.com .
The Nexsan DeDupe SG is a registered trademark of Nexsan. All other product or company names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
By Jerome M. Wendt
Anyone wonder why storage virtualization is still growing relatively slowly while server virtualization platforms like VMware have gone on a tear? If so, a look at the licensing strategies that these two respective virtualization technologies have adopted provides some insight into why. In server virtualization, once a software feature is licensed, it is available to all of the virtual machines (VMs) hosted by that server virtualization OS. Granted, there is a caveat in that the software license pricing is dependent upon the number of CPUs in the physical host. In the case of VMware , it licenses its software in pairs with 2, 4, 8 and 16 license combinations so the price does go up as more CPUs are added to the physical host. Conversely many storage virtualization software licensing models are based upon a capacity based model. Under this licensing model, an organization may initially buy 10 TBs of storage capacity and some software features to go with it (volume management, snapshots and possibly replication). Yet what happens with the storage virtualization licensing model is that if more storage capacity is purchased (say another 10 TBs), the organization must purchase new additional capacity licenses in order for their existing software licenses for volume management, snapshot or replication software to work with that new storage capacity. This is not wrong, per se, but companies vote with their check books and based on the rapid adoption of server virtualization, it suggests that this is the licensing model clearly preferred by companies. After all, if server virtualization and its associated costs didn't make economic sense, companies would not do it. However, it appears that the server virtualization licensing model is more palatable to end-users than the one currently offered by many storage virtualization providers. To understand why this it is and what needs to change, two questions need to be answered:
· Why is the processing-based licensing model more acceptable to companies?
· What changes are storage virtualization providers making to their licensing models?
In response to the first question, a server virtualization OS such as VMware allows organizations to create as many VMs as they want on a single physical host. As long as there is adequate processing power on the physical host to keep up with the demand of each application on each VM, the server virtualization software does not restrict them from adding more VMs or using the features found in its OS with all of these VMs. This is where the licensing model associated with storage virtualization looks to need some changes. Users view new storage capacity in much the same context as they view new VMs - as long as they have ample processing power, why should they be penalized if they add more storage capacity? In the same manner, if companies purchase more storage capacity and now need more CPUs to support new features like asynchronous replication or snapshots, I suspect they will be more inclined to pay for new software licenses. However as long as storage virtualization providers continue to tie software licensing for new features solely to growth in storage capacity, this can only serve to slow its adoption. One storage virtualization provider that is looking to change this trend in storage virtualization licensing practices is RELDATA . It has recently changed its software model so that when you license the software features with a base unit, all of those features are available regardless of how much storage capacity an organization adds in the future. So for example, the MSRP for its 9240i is approximately $25K which includes software licensing for iSCSI, unlimited snapshots and twelve (12) 1 TB SAS drives. But because of RELDATA's new "Save as you Grow" program, organizations can now add more capacity to the 9240i without needing to pay more to use its iSCSI or snapshots features in conjunction with their newly added storage capacity. Further, if an organization does opt to add another software feature, such as replication, at some point in the future, it can also be used with all storage capacity under that the 9240i's management. No matter how great or wonderful a new technology is (and virtualization certainly falls into that category), its adoption is often impeded by costly licensing models that preclude its broader adoption. RELDATA's recent decision to remove this software licensing barrier to the adoption of storage virtualization is representative of a step in the right direction for users. It encourages them to implement and take advantage of storage virtualization without worrying about any hidden licensing costs lurking in the background should they decide to add more performance or storage capacity in the future.
By Jerome Wendt and David Stevens
Data is the lifeblood of any organization and, in the last decade, increasing emphasis has been placed on protecting that data so organizations can recover the information that they need in the time frame they need it. Replication is now rapidly emerging as a viable form of data protection even for midsize organizations because of its lower costs, faster recovery times and the level of protection that it provides. However the process of selecting the right replication solution for the different data types that organizations need to protect is anything but an intuitive exercise.
Replication in its simplest form is a copy of production data that is stored somewhere else on disk. Then if the production data becomes corrupted, destroyed or inaccessible, a copy of that data can be quickly accessed to minimize or even eliminate a disruption in service to the application or end-user. In addition to being used for data protection or disaster recovery, replication can also be used to provide a secondary copy of data for testing and/or analysis.
Due to continuing declines in the cost per GB for disk, coupled with the availability of higher bandwidth and lower cost WAN connections, replication is becoming a viable option for almost any midsize organization. Unfortunately these organizations are often put in a position where they must make trade-offs as to what types of data they can afford to replicate.
Selecting the right replication process is challenging as several different methods of replication exist. One common method of replication is file-based replication, of which there are at least two forms. If all an organization wants to protect is a few folders and/or files on an NFS file share, then a simple Linux utility such as rsync will do the job quite nicely as it copies files from one file server to another. On the other hand, if an organization wants to accomplish the same thing on a Microsoft Windows file server, then the distributed file system (DFS), a built-in feature of Microsoft Windows, will suffice.
However storage systems can also perform what is known as block-based replication. Block-based replication can occur between two physically separate storage systems as well as in the form of snapshots or mirrors which are copies of production data made internally on disk on the storage system.
The advantage of block-based replication is that it does not care what protocol or file system (NFS, CIFS, ext3, xfs, NTFS, etc.) an applications uses. It operates below the file system stack and replicates raw blocks of data irrespective of the file system that sits above it. This method is most often used for replicating application databases where the file system replication is not the best choice.
Here is where the problem comes in for midsize organizations. They may want to introduce replication into their environment to take advantage of its benefits as a data protection solution or as a tool for testing and/or analysis. However it is also possible that they have a need for both forms of replication: file-based (protecting data on NFS and CIFS shares) as well as block-based (creating a less-expensive second shelf behind primary storage), for local and remote disaster recovery and/or for higher availability. But to purchase two or three separate storage systems that support each of these different types of replication is beyond what midsize organizations can pay.
This is where a storage system such as the RELDATA 9240i Unified Storage solution comes into play as the 9240i supports both file-based and block-based replication. This enables an organization to choose a single storage solution to meet these disparate replication requirements. In addition, the RELDATA solution uses iSCSI for replication, which is a less expensive alternative to costly fibre channel switches and cables, and leverages existing resources.
The 9240i uses iSCSI to support replication over a regular TCP/IP connection and can do either synchronous or asynchronous replication. Configured for synchronous replication, organizations can use the 9240i to mirror critical data over a short distance. In this fashion, primary and secondary copies of data can be kept in lock-step with each other and provide real-time copies of data in two locations for high availability of applications utilizing file or block based data. The failover is instantaneous, enabling a zero RPO/RTO when either side of the mirror is lost, along with fully-automatic, non-disruptive incremental failback.
If an organization is looking to provide a disaster recovery solution at a remote location, the 9240i also supports asynchronous replication. Used this way, midsize organizations can replicate either their file- or block-based data to one or more remote locations without needing multiple storage solutions. Incremental replication dramatically reduces RPO compared with traditional backup solutions. Since remote copies are ready for production deployment immediately, the organization can enjoy a near-zero RTO in the event of contingency. Asynchronous replication can also be combined with synchronous mirroring to deliver a comprehensive DR solution.
Replication is a powerful new tool that was once the exclusive domain of enterprise organizations that had big budgets, big data centers and lots of IT staff to manage it.
Not anymore.
Now, using iSCSI-based unified storage solutions like the RELDATA 9240i, not only do midsize organizations have access to affordable replication services replication, they can extend the benefits of replication to more data types (file and block) than what most solutions intended for the enterprise can typically provide, and do so at a fraction of the cost.
Innovator of Unified Block and File Storage Enjoys Strong New Customer Traction Facilitated by Channel Partners and Strategic Focus on Enabling Customers to Consolidate, Virtualize and Protect Rapidly Growing Business Data
PARSIPPANY, New Jersey – January 5, 2010 – RELDATA Inc. (www.reldata.com), the innovation leader in unified block and file storage solutions over iSCSI, announced today it posted an increase in revenue representing a 23 percent growth rate in the second half of 2009. In addition, the number of new named RELDATA customers increased by 25 percent, as demand for its unified storage solutions accelerates across industries such as government, higher education, healthcare, and financial services.
This growth in new customers and increased revenue was driven by several key milestones including the latest release of RELvos 2.4, RELDATA’s 64-bit storage virtualization operating system in September, and emphasis on ease of use and cost-effective pricing for block and file replication services to enhance data protection. The company also grew its channel program efforts, expanding its partner membership by 30 percent in the last six months of the year, with 40 percent of the company’s business driven by new partners.
In a recent ESG survey, more than two-thirds of Northern American and Western European storage professionals indicated that they are at some point in the process of implementing or evaluating unified storage. “ESG’s research clearly finds that unified storage is going to become more common – it is attractive in terms of both IT and financial efficiency, a winning combination by any standard,” said Terri McClure, senior analyst, ESG. “Companies are driven to improve system efficiency as their IT groups look to optimize their current storage infrastructure investments. RELDATA addresses these requirements with its unified block and file storage solutions, and is well-positioned to capitalize on this lucrative market opportunity.”
RELDATA achieved several milestones over the course of the last six months, including:
• Expansion of the RELDATA channel partner program and 30 percent increase in active membership; the enhanced program is designed to offer the most aggressive protected margin for active resellers in driving incremental revenues and strengthening leadership position in one of the fastest growing segments of the IT market.
• Announcement of RELDATA’s next generation unified storage solution powered by the release of RELvos 2.4 which cost-effectively enables mid-size and distributed enterprises to consolidate, virtualize and protect business data across multi-vendor platforms, providing scalable disaster recovery and high availability solutions.
• Recognition from Everything Channel, which named RELDATA a CRN Emerging Technology. CRN's Emerging Technology Vendor list highlights companies that are delivering high margins for solution providers with innovative and easy-to-use technology that undercuts industry giants.
“We are pleased to see revenue, new customer traction, and aligned channel partner contribution following the focused unified storage solutions strategy we outlined six months ago. In 2010, we expect the company to hit its stride and increase these positive trends as we build on our commitment to offer the most cost-effective unified storage solutions that non-disruptively consolidate and protect block and file storage in multi-vendor and virtualized server environments,” said Steven Murphy, CEO, RELDATA. “This commitment is coupled with a greater emphasis on deepening our channel relationships to successfully deliver the most reliable, high value data protection solutions to mid-size and distributed enterprise companies.”
Murphy added, “In these economic times, continued laser focus on execution of this strategy, while accelerating the deployment of innovative unified storage solutions that leverage our block and file replication services, will strengthen our emerging leadership position within the fastest growing segment of the storage market in 2010.”
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Managed Care Organization Discovers and Masks Sensitive Member and Provider Data By Implementing dataguise Technology In More Than 100 Environments
Fremont, Calif.,– dataguise, a leading innovator of security solutions for protecting sensitive data across the enterprise, today announced that Molina Healthcare has deployed dataguise dgmasker™ and dgdiscover™ in more than 100 training, development and testing environments. dataguise security products identify and mask the Personal Health Information (PHI) of Molina Healthcare’s members and providers, protecting sensitive data and enabling the managed care organization to meet HIPAA compliance requirements.
Molina Healthcare, Inc. is a multi-state managed care organization that arranges for the delivery of healthcare services to persons eligible for Medicaid, Medicare, and other government-sponsored programs for low-income families and individuals. Altogether, Molina Healthcare's licensed health plan subsidiaries in California, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Utah and Washington currently serve approximately 1.3 million members.
Prior to dataguise, Molina Healthcare was relying on an internally developed solution, which proved to be unreliable, difficult to maintain and required frequent adjustments. Since implementing the dataguise solutions, Molina Healthcare has eliminated the risk of exposure and access to its sensitive data while reducing the overhead needed for dedicated resources to manage and maintain the integrity of its database environments by 300 percent.
“As a healthcare organization that supports government programs, we are constantly receiving and storing highly sensitive data; a data breach would not only have a negative impact on customer satisfaction, but would also jeopardize our fulfilling HIPAA compliance standards,” said Nitin Gotmare, director of IT for Molina Healthcare. “The dataguise technology desensitizes information so that a breach is not possible. With dgmasker and dgdiscover in place, we can provide our customers and members with peace of mind that their personal health information is safe and secure.”
dataguise dgdiscover and dgmasker are designed to find structured database repositories across the network, search and discover sensitive data in structured databases, and then mask or de-identify to protect sensitive data. With dataguise, organizations have access to a single product that finds, searches and masks sensitive data across all databases throughout the enterprise. This allows organizations to create corporate masking policies for faster adherence to compliance regulations, lower risk of a data breach, and reduce reliance on cumbersome single database masking solutions. While most organizations have measures in place to control access to critical data in their production environments, this protection does not always extend to non-production data – an area addressed by dataguise.
“With dataguise, organizations are mitigating the risk of exposure that privacy data presents when moved outside the walls of a secure network environment and replacing manual or home-grown solutions that drain internal resources and endanger its compliance status,” said Allan Thompson, Executive Vice President, Operations for dataguise. “By using our cross-platform sensitive data discovery and masking technology, organizations can implement a reliable, cost-effective solution that provides the highest level of data protection, satisfying the many compliance mandates currently in place surrounding privacy data.”
About dataguise
dataguise offers automated and advanced data security solutions to help ensure regulatory compliance, protect against data theft, discover sensitive data and maintain data quality. dgdiscover enables organizations to find structured database repositories across the network, search and discover sensitive data in structured databases. dgmasker is then able to mask or de-identify to protect sensitive data. dgmasker provides secure masking of database content with unprecedented flexibility and functionality across heterogeneous environments. For more information, call 510-824-1036 or visit dataguise.com
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