Softek strengthens storage management features, capabilities

Fujitsu-Softek Monday announced enhancements to its storage resource management software.

The company is enhancing its Storage Provisioner and Storage Manager packages. Storage Manager includes a suite of products such as SANview, Virtualization and Server Monitor. Softek is adding eased policy-based management and the ability to the map the location of data from applications to storage volumes, as well as replication features to Storage Provisioner. The company is adding a charge back feature and increased operating system and back-up support to Storage Manager.

Storage Provisioner 2.1, a product that is based on source code from DataCore Software's SANSymphony virtualization, reduces the steps necessary to configure storage-area networks. It simplifies the LUN masking and zoning that take place when assigning storage capacity to host computers. In addition, new capabilities have been added that simplify storage workflow - Storage Provisioner is now integrated into the Storage Manager console and can map paths from application servers to the storage volumes so workload can be balanced. Storage Provisioner now supports snapshot-based replication between storage devices.

Among the changes to Storage Manager 2.1 is the ability to run with Linux and older versions of Solaris host computers and increased integration with Tivoli and Veritas backup. The company has also added the ability to provision space for application servers and automate the expansion of file systems on individual application servers. Softek has also added the ability to remotely and manually execute scripts on servers.

Charge back, which is based on accounts the storage administrator defines, has been added to Storage Manager. With charge back, administrators can create groups that will be billed for storage use and generate reports that can be integrated with accounting systems.

Further, Softek announced that two additional modules, Storage Manager Space Optimizer and Performance Tuner, are expected to be available in June. Space Optimizer will support hardware and database services for Oracle and SQL Server and older file services such as Solaris 2.6 and Windows NT 4.

Performance Tuner will provide measurement, monitoring and management of application servers, switches and the Storage Provisioner software, as well as alerting that is based on failures or unexpected behavior. Performance Tuner will be available starting at $800 per server in the second quarter of 2003. The company will launch its TDMF Open Systems Edition 2.1 and SANView 5.1 this quarter.

A provisioning module Storage Manager Hardware Provisioning is also in the works, as is a module called Backup Monitor.

Storage Provisioner works with Windows, AIX, HP-UX, Solaris, NetWare, Compaq Tru64, Mac OS and Red Hat Linux. It operates on an Intel server platform running Windows 2000 Server or Advanced Server.

Softek Storage Manager installs on a Windows 2000 Server running Microsoft SQL Server and IIS. It supports servers running Windows, Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, Linux and OS/390 mainframes.

Storage Manager starts at $39,000. Storage Provisioner starts at $50,000.