F5 announces solutions to control costs

NEW DELHI, INDIA: F5 Networks announced new software releases for its ARX file virtualization system and Data Manager storage management solution. The new capabilities in both products enable organizations to better control storage costs, improve capacity utilization and forecasting, and unlock maximum value from their existing file storage assets, all of which are key corporate mandates in today’s economy.

“Our research shows that the economy is definitely impacting IT budgets, with 47 percent of Fortune 1000 organizations interviewed planning to decrease their storage spending,” said Robert Stevenson, MD, Storage Research, TheInfoPro. “At the same time, these companies are actively looking for ways to boost storage utilization, which hovers at about 50 percent. Storage pros are indicating that they are turning to products like F5 ARX file virtualization solutions to achieve their cost-cutting objectives and make better use of the technology they already own. We’ve also seen an increased demand for tools, like Data Manager, that can provide the insight needed for more accurate capacity planning and forecasting.”

Version 5.0 of Data Management Operating System, the common software powering all F5 ARX file virtualization solutions, introduces new features that simplify automated tiered storage deployments and enhance data protection and recovery.

The software allows easier deployment of a virtualized file storage environment with seamless import functionality that gives users continuous access to file data throughout the implementation process

It offers improved data protection capabilities for virtualized storage environments, including a file tracking capability, which dramatically simplifies file restoration from backup media and virtual snapshot capability for Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service

“There are operational and economic benefits to storage tiering, but the challenge for many companies is to find a way to implement tiering in an easy to manage and non-invasive manner,” said Dave Russell, Research VP, Gartner. “Solutions such as file virtualization help overcome these challenges,” he added.

Data Manager version 2.5 improves storage reporting and forecasting in large file storage environments and introduces new cost savings analysis capabilities to help businesses better understand areas for potential cost reduction in their environment. In addition to providing detailed information such as file age, types of files, and which resources are being consumed, Data Manager 2.5 can project potential cost savings of storage tiering policies based on actual customer data.

“These releases increase the control companies have over their storage, which is especially important in this time of IT belt-tightening,” said Nigel Burmeister, Director of Product Marketing at F5. “With F5 ARX and Data Manager, companies can implement automated solutions that optimize their storage infrastructure and free up IT resources. Simply put, we make it possible for IT organizations to squeeze every possible nickel from their existing storage assets.”