File Virtualization and Data Mobility Leader, AutoVirt, Announces General Availability of AutoVirt Software Version 3.5

New Assessment Functionality and Ease-Of-Deployment Enhancements Enable End Users and Service Providers to Plan and Execute Fast and Accurate File Data Migrations, Without End User Disruption

AutoVirt v3.5 Enables Professional Services (PS) Engagements to Be Scoped with Complete Confidence and Delivered on Time and within Budget

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AutoVirt, Inc.

Feb 28, 2011, 09:15 ET

NASHUA, N.H., Feb. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoVirt™, Inc., the leading provider of file virtualization and data mobility solutions, today announced the general availability of AutoVirt software version 3.5 (v3.5) featuring new assessment functionality and ease-of-deployment enhancements that enable fast and 100% accurate file data migration planning and execution. While the benefit to end users is apparent – significant capital and operational savings (CapEx and OpEx) – service providers will find that the AutoVirt software enhancements enable professional services (PS) engagements to be scoped with complete confidence and delivered on time and within budget.

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AutoVirt v3.5 Enhancements include:

Comprehensive Assessment Capability
- Discover and classify all file data across heterogeneous file storage environments (file age, type, size, location, and owner)
- Identify opportunities for data center optimization (i.e., tiering, consolidation, capacity balancing, archiving, etc...)
- Identify migration obstacles (i.e., file access, ACL errors)
- Transition from Assessment configuration to the Full Production, Data Mobility configuration in just minutes
Reduced Configuration Requirements
- Minimum full-production configuration: two virtual machines (VMs) (For assessment configuration, only one VM is required)

IT organizations have been struggling for years to overcome the challenges associated with managing the explosive growth of their file data storage environments. Traditionally, the path of least resistance has been to over-provision data storage assets – in other words, over-buy storage capacity. This tactic alleviated the need for IT management to try to separate business critical from non-business critical data. However, it also led to excessive capital and operational expenses. More recently, organizations have sought solutions that enable them to fully optimize their storage environments. The goal has become to keep business-critical production data on higher performing assets, while moving non-business-critical files to less expensive platforms. Unfortunately, recent industry research indicates that data migration initiatives – whether managed by a vendor, service provider, or the end user IT organization – run over time and/or budget as much as 90% - 100% of the time.

"The idea of cleaning up your storage environment is not unlike cleaning up your closet," said Deni Connor, Founder and Principal Analyst, Storage Strategies-NOW (www.ssg-now.com). "You might want to keep all your winter clothes in your closet right now, move your summer clothes to longer term storage in the basement, and get rid of those items you will most definitely never wear again. But, before you can do any of that, you need to understand what is taking up all that space." She continued, "Simply put, AutoVirt v3.5 will enable users to clean-up their file data environment by first helping them to understand exactly what is taking up all that storage space. Only then can an end user or service provider drive a truly efficient and effective file data tiering and migration strategy, in order to fully optimize a file data storage environment."

"AutoVirt v3.5 provides highly detailed file level metrics such as file ownership, file type, age and date last modified, as well as share size – helping the user to easily identify optimization opportunities. Once identified, AutoVirt enables you to immediately take action on those opportunities by providing non-disruptive data tiering and migration using the same product that identified the opportunities. It also enables the user to discover and proactively address all persistent errors in the environment, thus eliminating potential tiering and migration delays. AutoVirt v3.5 enables users to dramatically cut the planning and execution time of data migration initiatives, all without disrupting the end users or the business," said Josh Klein, President and CEO of AutoVirt. "With AutoVirt v3.5, executing a file data assessment and migration has never been easier or more cost effective."

AutoVirt v3.5 is immediately available.

About AutoVirt

AutoVirt, Inc.™ is the leading provider of file virtualization and data mobility solutions. AutoVirt software enables customers to virtualize and migrate file data to support initiatives such as technology refresh, tiering, consolidation, capacity balancing, optimization and archiving – locally or to the cloud. Unique global namespace technology enables AutoVirt customers to more easily access and manage distributed file data, regardless of physical location. Moreover, AutoVirt's out-of-band deployment eliminates the associated cost and added latency of an in-band approach, while allowing customers to maintain maximum flexibility and management control. AutoVirt software is the first-and-only truly affordable, easy-to-use and reliable solution for lowering both the operational and capital expense (OpEx and CapEx) associated with managing and moving file data across heterogeneous storage environments. For further information, please visit: www.autovirt.com, email: [email protected], or call: 603-546-2900.

© AutoVirt 2011. AutoVirt is a trademark of AutoVirt, Inc. All other brands or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should be treated as such.