HP today took its storage resource management (SRM)
software downstream, announcing a slimmed-down version of its Storage
Essentials software geared for medium-sized businesses of 100 to 1,000
employees.
HP Storage Essentials Standard Edition SRM software, the first product from
the Enterprise Storage and Server Software unit HP forged
in January, automates tedious, manual tasks for IT administrators and lets
them monitor IT resources via a Web-based GUI
Storage Essentials Standard Edition typifies the fast-growing SRM software
segment, part of what IDC said was nearly a $10 billion storage software
market in 2006. The software troubleshoots problems, reports on them, scans
files and monitors infrastructure performance and utilization rates.
These tasks are traditionally time consuming and cumbersome; automating them
frees up the admin to perform other duties that are more critical for the
business.
John Kelly, product marketing manager of HP Storage Essentials, said the
software is very much like the Storage Essentials Enterprise Edition that HP
launched two years ago, originally through an OEM deal
with AppIQ, which HP later acquired.
But while the Enterprise Edition is designed to
manage operating systems and SAN switches across multiple vendors’ platforms,
Standard Edition will only manage software and hardware for HP storage
arrays.
Specifically, the software’s coverage works with Windows and Linux servers,
HP EVA, HP MSA, HP ProLiant Storage Servers, (NAS), HP EML E-Series tape
libraries and HBAs and fabric switches.
Kelly also said Standard Edition does not come with three key software
modules that Enterprise Edition automatically includes: a Provisioning Manager to
deploy new storage and switches; Chargeback Manager, which charges end users
for storage consumed; and the Global Reporter, which provides a global
summary of data from multiple Storage Essential servers.
Finally, Standard Edition is much easier to install than Enterprise Edition,
employing numerous wizards to get the software up and running with little
effort, Kelly said.
Cost is also a difference. Standard Edition, which will be available from HP
and channel partners starting in the second quarter, is $37,000 for 150
Fibre Channel ports. Base price for Enterprise Edition is $50,000.
However, Standard Edition users are not locked in to that package. Standard
Edition SRM can be easily upgraded to the HP Storage Essentials Enterprise
Edition Software Suite to handle larger, multi-vendor SAN systems.
These software packages enable HP to compete in an SRM market that includes
EMC , IBM
, CA
and a host of smaller specialist
and startup players.
A Slim Effect For HP Storage Management
