News

posted on 04 March 2008 14:27

In the expected move to add file services high-end network-attached storage (NAS) supplier BlueArc is to resell Brocade's StorageX file virtualisation and management software.

StorageX virtualises files and enables their migration and replication across and between diferent file storage devices. Brocade says that StorageX  deals with file management problems in distributed heterogeneous environments, including: migration; consolidation; remote office data management; centralised backup; business continuity; and disaster recovery. StorageX is part of Brocade's File Area Network (FAN) services product set.

BlueArc will be able to expand its offering and offer an end-to-end solution with the capability to virtualise heterogeneous file systems and present a consolidated view of all enterprise files. In other words a BlueArc Titan can present multi-vendor NAS boxes connected to it as a single logical filer.

The company will also now be able to offer business continuity with transparent failover of user access to replicated file data at a secondary site in the event of a primary data centre outage. It can also supply centralised backup for remote offices.

Steve Daheb, BlueArc's VP marketing and business development, was on-message, saying: "Brocade StorageX enables centralized management of file data in heterogeneous, distributed IT environments. By combining Brocade StorageX with BlueArc's Titan 3000 platform, our customers will be able to more efficiently consolidate, migrate and manage their growing amounts of file data, while enabling operational flexibility and improving IT efficiency."

It's a good win for Brocade as BlueArc has a significant customer presence with high-end NAS systems, and comes days after NetApp agreed to resell its DCX data centre backbone switch.

It also comes on the day that BlueArc announced a new high-end Titan 3000 product.