Top 10 Reasons to Use IBM for VM Deployments

After a full first day at VMworld, I started to think more about IBM and their technology solutions that help customers in a VMware environment. Here is a top ten list of things to consider when looking at a VMware implementation and how IBM can help.

#1 Integration

VMware is playing Switzerland and ensuring all vendors are on a level playing field, so when other vendors state that they have “better” or “closer” technology… Read more »

Data Protection, Retention and Archive Starts with Data Value

It feels good to open up the blogging again to new topics, especially ones I am intimately familiar with. (But have no fear, there will be references to primary storage optimization / compression.)

This weekend I had an interesting conversation with my Dad. We were discussing backup. My dad basically runs IT for the State of Maine. The State of Maine uses CommVault backup software. So I posed the question to him, “What would it… Read more »

Compressed Thoughts - Compression and Deduplication

This video doesn't talk about the merits of one versus the other but how when compression (or capacity optimization is done right) it should enhance data deduplication, not impact it.  Enjoy and for more videos like this one go to the StorwizeChannel. classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="580" height="360" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"

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Comprehensive Capacity Optimization - Deduplication 2.0

Technology is great isn't it? When someone thinks they have a new idea on the same old technology foundation they call it "X 2.0". I have been watching the banter between analysts and vendors (specifically NTAP’s Dr. Dedupe and Permabit’s CEO Tom Cook) on the topic of Deduplication 2.0 and it is my belief that the proverbial boat is being missed (since we are using water analogies). I have been watching these guys hash it… Read more »

The Side Effects of Backup on Server Virtualization

Server virtualization has changed the IT landscape dramatically. It has become a magic potion curing a number of ills in the physical server world such as low individual CPU utilization and excess use of space, power and cooling in the data center. However, like all potions that cure what ails you, there can be side effects. You need to be careful of what the Witch Doctor orders.

When I speak with customers who have aggressively… Read more »