IBM introduced a new set of storage capabilities so the client can have choice and control within the data center to optimize performance. This is a significant step with the launch of IBM Storage Assurance, which will be an alternative for IT life cycle management. This enables the client to access the latest IBM FlashSystem hardware and software innovations. This will ensure that the investments of the client are protected from the outset. It has been specially designed to take forward the newly launched IBM FlashSystem 5300, the FlashSystem 7300, and the FlashSystem 9500. IBM Storage Assurance reflects a pledge from IBM to provide clients with new-age storage solutions that can adapt to their ever-changing needs.
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In conclusion, with results from TechTarget’s Enterprise Strategy Group, which ascertains that most enterprises will grow IT spending by 48% within 2024, IBM realizes that organizations must now maximize their expenses while ensuring they attain high performance levels. IBM has been prompted to launch the Storage Assurance program as an additional consumption model to IBM Storage as a Service and IBM Storage Utility. It works to simplify the storage ownership experience and, therefore, extend the life of the client’s storage investments.
Storage Ownership Switch
IBM announces its Storage Assurance model, enabling IT lifecycle management as a subscription service. The package involves regular hardware and software upgrades and Expert Care-premium-level support. Its objective is to ensure that its storage infrastructure is up to date, resulting in minimal downtime, agonizing migrations, and repetitive purchases.
- This new offering eliminates procurement friction and pain in traditional storage lifecycle management. For IBM FlashSystem 5300, 7300, and 9500, the following benefits highlight the main points:
- Use whole system refreshes to update all drives, controllers, and software.
- Plan storage needs from the outset with an all-nvMe FlashSystem portfolio created for high-performance and data-intensive workloads.
- Strengthen security with IBM’s patented computational storage architecture, which includes hardware-accelerated, AI-augmented cyber threat detection.
- Protect investment with a transparently priced subscription model for performance—and lifecycle-based hardware and software upgrades across 4—or 8-year terms.
- Get a fresh look at the latest IBM FlashSystem innovations as you migrate with non-disruptive migrations.
- Equipped with a flexible contract with the option for trade-in credit for out-of-cycle upgrades
- Equipped with IBM’s premium-level Expert Care support program—included with IBM Storage Assurance.
Why New Storage Capabilities?
This new program has been meticulously crafted to enable clients to remain at the forefront of technological advancements in IBM FlashSystem storage. It offers an upgrade path to address end-of-support issues, capacity limitations, and evolving operating system requirements.
Denis Kennelly, General Manager of IBM Storage, highlights, “IBM Storage Assurance disrupts the enterprise storage landscape by delivering client-centric assurances, computational storage with AI-driven data services, and comprehensive software integration aimed at tackling customers’ most critical challenges. It also provides a pathway for clients to embrace future innovations from IBM.”
As organizations face mounting pressures to optimize financial resources, enhance operational agility, adopt energy-efficient solutions, and fortify data security, IBM endeavors to meet these demands with its intelligent and user-friendly all-flash portfolio.
IBM introduces Flash Grid technology and Policy High Availability enhancements to streamline storage management, enhance workload performance, and facilitate non-disruptive operations. Flash Grid empowers clients to administer storage systems as a highly available and independently scalable environment from a unified control interface, enabling seamless workload migrations between FlashSystem devices. Key advantages encompass simplified management by aggregating IBM FlashSystem devices into a single scalable storage grid, engineered for high availability, replication, and non-disruptive application data migrations. Furthermore, AIOps automation and simulation capabilities enable clients to leverage AI-driven workload simulations for optimal workload placement within the IBM Flash Grid.
Enhanced Disaster Recovery Solutions
Besides, IBM brings forth FlashSystem policy-based replication and high availability, engineered for intuitive, high-performance solutions for disaster recovery. This innovation supplies automatic deployment and management of replication between two systems with minimal overhead, showing higher throughput and reduced latency. In 2024, IBM plans to extend these capabilities to support highly available storage with replication to a third system, simplifying the configuration, management, and monitoring of replication tasks.
IBM FlashSystem enhances data resilience through new cyber threat detection capabilities in the newly-unveiled IBM FlashCore Module 4. These advanced cyber-defense features are incorporated seamlessly into the new IBM FlashSystem 5300, also unveiled today.
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FAQs
1. What is IBM Storage Assurance?
IBM Storage Assurance is a new program introduced by IBM to provide clients with choice and control within the data center to optimize performance. It offers an alternative for IT lifecycle management, enabling clients to access the latest IBM FlashSystem hardware and software innovations.
2. How does IBM Storage Assurance protect client investments?
IBM Storage Assurance ensures that client investments are protected from the outset by offering regular hardware and software upgrades and Expert Care-premium-level support. It aims to keep the storage infrastructure up to date, minimizing downtime, migration challenges, and repetitive purchases.
3. What are the main benefits of IBM Storage Assurance for IBM FlashSystem 5300, 7300, and 9500?
- The whole system refreshes to update all drives, controllers, and software.
- Planning storage needs from the outset with an all-nvMe FlashSystem portfolio for high-performance and data-intensive workloads.
- Strengthening security with IBM’s patented computational storage architecture, including hardware-accelerated, AI-augmented cyber threat detection.
- Transparently priced subscription model for performance and lifecycle-based hardware and software upgrades across 4- or 8-year terms.
- Access to the latest IBM FlashSystem innovations with non-disruptive migrations.
- Flexible contract options with the possibility of trade-in credit for out-of-cycle upgrades.
- Inclusion of IBM’s premium-level Expert Care support program with IBM Storage Assurance.
4. Why did IBM introduce these new storage capabilities?
IBM introduced these new storage capabilities to enable clients to stay at the forefront of technological advancements in IBM FlashSystem storage. The aim is to address end-of-support issues, capacity limitations, and evolving operating system requirements while providing a pathway for clients to embrace future innovations.
5. How do the Flash Grid technology and Policy High Availability enhancements benefit clients?
Flash Grid technology and Policy High Availability enhancements streamline storage management, enhance workload performance, and facilitate non-disruptive operations. Clients can administer storage systems as a highly available and independently scalable environment, enabling seamless workload migrations between FlashSystem devices. Additionally, AIOps automation and simulation capabilities enable optimal workload placement within the IBM Flash Grid.
6. What additional disaster recovery solutions does IBM offer?
IBM provides FlashSystem policy-based replication and high availability, designed for intuitive, high-performance disaster recovery solutions. This innovation automates the deployment and management of replication between two systems with minimal overhead, higher throughput, and lower latency. In the future, IBM plans to extend these capabilities to support highly available storage with replication to a third system.
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