EMC improves storage control

Helps cost cutting, compliance

EMC has launched several initiatives, including an updated archiving control tool and new consulting services, to help firms cut storage costs and improve compliance with regulations.

CentraStar Version 3.0 can create virtual pools of storage capacity within the EMC Centera Content Addressed Storage (CAS) system. EMC Centera’s Roy Sanford said IT staff could develop policies to assign specific apps to move data into the pools and set parameters for the type and duration of data storage.

The product could aid regulatory compliance, said Sanford, as policies could be set to keep valuable data secure for a set time or to ensure only certain applications could access data in a certain pool to keep out unauthorised users. The virtual pools could also reduce management costs. “They are self-managing, you don’t need to manually move content around to free up capacity,” Sanford said.

EMC will also launch version 3.5 of its Centera Universal Access tool, designed to double the number of objects that firms can move into Centera without integrating with the system’s APIs. Meanwhile, versions 1.1 of Centera Seek and Centera Chargeback Reporter will improve IT managers’ ability to search for metadata, said the firm.

Sanford added that the enhancements would let firms develop a unified archiving system, where they could use standardised access models and content policies regardless of the data format, enabling easier management and lower costs.

The giant is also offering new and enhanced services, merging three of its divisions into one EMC Consulting unit in the process.

EMC Consulting will offer services to help IT managers create rules to manage the automation of content storage, while Information Protection services offer new backup, recovery and archiving assessments.

EMC senior vice-president Derrell James said the new division would help firms to avoid unnecessary spending on new storage capacity, thanks to the adoption of best practices; and would also help them to tailor content management policies to comply with regulations.