IBM: Bye bye Storewize, hello FlashSystem

In a move to launch even faster flash storage arrays, all existing block access storage solutions are integrated into one solution family under the FlashSystem brand. The Storewize brand is being retired by IBM.

IBM now offers to the non-mainframe market a single storage array family under the FlashSystem name, that uses the same hardware chassis and the same software stack for all models. The constituent models of the FlashSystem family are the 5000, 7200, 9300 and 9200R. They replace the FlashSystem 900, V9000, 9100 and A9000R systems and the Storwize hybrid flash/disk arrays.

The new FlashSystem products are positioned in IBM’s overall storage product family in the picture below.

And what about the software?

IBM FlashSystem run Spectrum Virtualize software, as before, and inherit capabilities such as EasyTier and HyperSwap business continuity and disaster recovery. There is 2- and 3-site replication, with replicated volumes and stretched logical volumes available. Data can be sent to the cloud for business continuity and DR, DevOps, analytics and so on.

The software supports VMware VASA, vVol and SRM protocols – making the life of the vSphere admin’s easier – and also Kubernetes, Red Hat OpenShift and the Container Storage Interface, facilitating use in cloud-native environments. Red Hat’s Ansible playbook orchestration is also supported for the automation of common storage admin tasks. IBM Storage Insights service monitors the FlashSystem arrays, receiving 23 million telemetry readings a day from each array, according to Herzog and fixes up to 66 per cent of problems automatically.

The arrays can be monitored by an AI-based system for malware and ransomware infections, and data stored on air-gapped tape or logical air-gapped cloud volumes for extra security. Alternatively Spectrum Control can manage and monitor the arrays on-premises.

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WIRD Group is IBM Platinum Partner for Switzerland with all the necessary skills and certifications to support any IBM solution.