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Storage is usually associated with words such as overcapacity, over-allocation, unmanageability and far more colorful phrases are routinely uttered behind closed doors. But help is on the way: A new breed of storage resource management (SRM) tools has emerged to help organizations manage their storage more efficiently. But the glut of SRM products is a double-edged sword: picking the one that's best for your environment isn't easy. What's more, choosing the wrong product can cost your company dearly.
SRM design approaches can be broken down into two product generations and six broad categories. The first generation consists of the widely available device-centric and software-centric approaches, which reflect the vendor-specific nature of SRM tools today. The next generation's approaches are the network-centric, API-centric, standards-centric and application-centric approaches that reflect an emerging openness of products and the growing ability of SRM tools to work with other vendors' storage products.
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| A partial listing of vendors specializing in SRM |
| COMPANY NAME |
SRM PRODUCT(S) |
DEVICE CENTRIC |
SOFTWARE CENTRIC (PASSIVE) |
SOFTWARE CENTRIC (ACTIVE) |
NETWORK CENTRIC |
API CENTRIC |
STANDARD CENTRIC |
APPLICATION CENTRIC |
| AppIQ |
AppIQ Manager |
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| Arkivio, Inc. |
Auto-Stor |
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| Astrum Software |
Astrum 1.5 |
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| CreekPath Systems |
CreekPath AIM Suite |
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| Datacore Software |
SANsymphony 5.0 |
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| FalconStor Software |
IPStor |
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| InterSAN |
Pathline |
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| Intermine |
FileCensus |
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| Invio Software |
Storage Practice Manager |
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| Microsoft |
.NET Server 2003 |
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| MonoSphere |
Storage Managerr |
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| NTP Software |
StorageReporter* |
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| Netreon |
SANexec Designer |
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| Netreon |
SANexec Manager |
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| Northern Parklife |
Quota Server |
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| NuView |
StorageX |
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| PowerQuest |
PowerExpert SRM |
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| Precise Software Solutions |
SiteStor SRM |
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| Precise Software Solutions |
StorageCentral SRM |
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| Prisa Networks** |
VisualSAN** |
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| ProvisionSoft |
DynamicIT |
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| StorScape |
SIM Suite |
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| Storability |
Global Storage Manager |
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| StorageNetworks |
STORos Storage Manager |
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| StorageTek |
Application Storage Manager |
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| Sun Microsystems |
StorEdge Suite |
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| Tek-Tools |
Storage Profiler |
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| TeraCloud |
SpaceNet |
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| Trellisoft*** |
StorageAlert*** |
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| TrueSAN Networks |
Cloudbreak |
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| Veritas Software |
SERVPoint Control |
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| * StorageReporter was acquired by Veritas from NTP Software; ** Pirus Networks was acquired by Sun; ***Trellisoft was acquired by IBM/Tivoli. |
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| A partial listing of vendors with storage suites |
| COMPANY NAME |
SRM PRODUCT(S) |
DEVICE CENTRIC |
SOFTWARE CENTRIC (PASSIVE) |
SOFTWARE CENTRIC (ACTIVE) |
NETWORK CENTRIC |
API CENTRIC |
STANDARD CENTRIC |
APPLICATION CENTRIC |
| BMC Software |
Patrol Storage Suite |
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| Computer Associates |
BrightStor Storage Suite |
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| EMC |
ControlCenterr |
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| Fujitsu Softek |
Storage Manager |
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| Hitachi Data Systems |
HiCommand |
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| IBM/Tivoli |
Tivoli Storage Mgt Suite |
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| Veritas Software |
SANPoint Control |
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| Overland Storage |
Storage Resource Manager |
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