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Breaking News - Storage:

Rainfinity GridSwitch Extends Transparent Data Movement

Rainfinity announced it is extending the transparent data movement capabilities of its flagship RainStorage solution to address the increasing customer demand for file system information lifecycle management (ILM). RainStorage with GridSwitch acts as a layer-2 switch with file system intelligence to perform transparent data movement. GridSwitch provides for seamless integration with leading management consoles and automated policies driven from ILM, storage resource management (SRM) or Grid computing architectures. GridSwitch plugs into existing SRM consoles to expand monitoring and reporting functions for transparent data movement. The flexible solution supports IP-based storage networks including NAS, Windows and UNIX file servers.

"Customers are beginning to realize that ILM is not a single product available from one vendor," said Scott Hansbury, senior vice president marketing at CreekPath Systems. "Together, CreekPath and Rainfinity enable customers to address the key building blocks of their ILM strategy. With Rainfinity's GridSwitch providing transparent data movement, the CreekPath Suite storage operations management software is able to automate the discovery, classification, process workflow and change management functions without disruption to end-users."


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"It's becoming clear that data movement without network disruption is a key building block for Information Lifecycle Management," said Jamie Gruener, senior analyst for The Yankee Group. "Companies are beginning to realize that data storage is a misnomer. It's really about data access. Data cannot be moved continuously to the desired location unless it's accessible to users 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Management cannot be considered automated if the first step is to negotiate user and application downtime, and management strategies need to be integrated."

GridSwitch is built on an underlying XML/RPC engine and leverages the high performance ActiveBand architecture of RainStorage. This design enables easy implementation and does not require changes to end-user mount points or the deployment of software agents on servers or applications. The unique RainStorage architecture also preserves data integrity, disaster recovery and throughput.

RainStorage with GridSwitch includes the following command and control capabilities:

  • Manage: GridSwitch enables third-party management tools to completely control RainStorage functions, automate data movement transactions and integrate RainStorage actions into management consoles to vastly simplify data migrations, consolidations and real-time capacity management.
  • Move: GridSwitch provides external control over granular data movement at the volume, directory and subdirectory level.
  • Network: GridSwitch allows third-party tools to move RainStorage in and out-of-band in response to business events and IT environment triggers.
  • Monitor: RainStorage supplies complete status on the state of move transactions, data location and visibility into the number, identity and access path of users.
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