IBM makes addition to TotalStorage line
New storage server promises transfers of four gigs per second and bolsters the company's midrange lineup.
The storage device, DS4800, can support up to 67 terabytes of data, Big Blue said Wednesday. The addition to the TotalStorage lineup is designed to operate with a range of operating systems, such AIX and HPUX (IBM and Hewlett-Packard's respective Unix variants), Sun Microsystems' Solaris and Microsoft Windows, as well as Intel and Power-based versions of Linux.
The server will also support IBM's storage software, including an upgraded version of SAN Volume Controller that was also unveiled on Wednesday. SVC now supports up to 256 hosts, Big Blue said.
The DS4800 comes with data failover software and will support the recently announced integrated backup for databases with the AIX operating environment and IBM DB2 Universal Database. Other features include an alert for problems with the system, enhanced battery life, a second Ethernet port for diagnostics and a switched expansion drawer.
Two models of the new storage server--the 82A and the 84A--are slated to start shipping on June 17 with a starting list price of $54,000. The SAN Volume Controller version 2.1.1 will be available May 13 with a starting price of $44,500, IBM said.
The highly competitive storage market is witnessing new launches. HP is slated to announce revamped storage products and services at the HP Americas StorageWorks Conference, which starts May 16 in Las Vegas.