Report: IBM Named #1 in Software Defined Storage Platforms

Leadership role reflects widespread adoption of IBM's strategy to apply storage virtualization, global file system software to clients' growing Big Data challenges

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Sep 10, 2014, 10:15 ET

ARMONK, N.Y., Sept. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that International Data Corp. (IDC) has ranked IBM as the top ranking supplier of Software Defined Storage Platforms (SDS-P) in its latest Worldwide Storage Software QView for the second quarter 2014, based on software revenue. The ranking reflects widespread adoption of IBM's SDS-P technologies by clients looking to gain faster, more reliable access to their growing data volumes.

IDC describes SDS-P as, "platforms that deliver the full suite of storage services via a software stack that uses (but is not dependent on) commodity hardware built with off-the-shelf components." *

IBM's SDS portfolio includes hardware agnostic software technologies such as a global file system, code-named Elastic Storage that automatically manages data locally and globally. It also provides breakthrough speeds in data access, easy administration and the ability to scale technology infrastructures quickly and more cost-effectively. In addition to Elastic Storage, the portfolio includes IBM's storage virtualization software, SAN Volume Controller, which enables clients to virtualize storage infrastructures for fast, reliable data movement across heterogeneous storage systems. SAN Volume Controller is also available as part of IBM's Virtual Storage Center which provides additional capabilities for storage management such as backup, restore, and visual administration.

Each year, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) teams with IBM to deliver a dynamic online and mobile experience to fans of the US Open tournament. The cloud-based infrastructure consistently generates increasing amounts of data, as well as a corresponding increase in demand for greater access and analysis. During the 2013 US Open, for example, the USTA churned out 2.9 million hours of live-streaming video and served more than 400 million pageviews on its tournament web site over the course of just two weeks.

"The versatile and reliable IBM infrastructure that supports the US Open enables us to provide fans the tournament data and insights they need, no matter where they are located," said Nicole Jeter West, Senior Director of Ticketing and Digital Strategy at USTA. "The dynamic IBM cloud helps us ensure that we are able to immediately serve the right content to tennis enthusiasts around the globe."

The reliable digital platform that provides US Open fans constant access to real-time scores, statistics, video, etc., is supported by IBM's Elastic Storage, which is based on the company's General Parallel File System (GPFS) technology.

"IBM Software Defined Storage capabilities are providing clients with the kind of scalability and fast data access their customers, employees and partners are not just demanding, but expecting," said Jamie Thomas, General Manager, Storage and Software Defined Systems, IBM Systems & Technology Group.

IDC's Worldwide Storage Software QView provides total market size and vendor shares of the storage software market. This latest IDC QView marks the first that IDC has measured the size of the SDS-P market. According to the firm, "sales of SDS-P were just 3.5% of the total software market value, but grew more than 15.7% during the quarter."

* IDC's Worldwide Storage Software Taxonomy, 2014 (Doc #249822)

For more information about IBM Software Defined Storage, visit www.ibm.com/storage/software-defined-storage

Contact Information
Mike Zimmerman
IBM Media Relations
+1 (914) 766-4935
[email protected]

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SOURCE IBM