-- Cloud enabled storage provide data access necessary for today's cognitive business

ARMONK, N.Y., Nov. 2, 2016 — (PRNewswire) —  IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced new hybrid cloud all-flash storage solutions developed to modernize and transform storage deployments, providing a strong bridge to the development of cognitive applications. These new solutions and software allow clients to store their valuable data where it makes the best business sense.

According to the analyst firm, Evaluator Group, flash and hybrid cloud technologies are dramatically changing the way companies deploy storage and design applications. As new applications are created--often for mobile or distributed access--the ability to store data in the right place, on the right media, and with the right access capability will become even more important.

Companies are adding cloud to lower costs, flash to increase performance, and software-defined storage to add flexibility. IBM is integrating these capabilities together with security and data management for faster return on investment.  IBM uniquely offers choice of on premise storage or software defined solution, or as a cloud service.

IBM Spectrum Storage Suite addresses the often rigid economics of data management through the opportunity to test new hybrid cloud and cognitive applications at no additional charge and by reducing software costs up to 40 percent when compared with a non-integrated solution.

"Data feeds the engine for cognitive applications that deliver client value and competitive advantage. Helping clients evolve from having data obligations to using its data to better serve its business is at the heart of today's wide-reaching announcement," said Ed Walsh, general manager, IBM Storage and Software Defined Infrastructure. "Hybrid Cloud enablement, as a standard feature for new and existing users of Spectrum Virtualize gives our clients more control to store their data where it can have the most impact to its business."

With today's news, IBM is announcing comprehensive new solutions for clients and partners to take advantage of hybrid cloud and flash environments. New today is:

• Hybrid cloud enablement for existing and new on-premises storage: enhancements to IBM Spectrum Virtualize bring hybrid cloud capabilities for block storage to the IBM Storwize family, IBM FlashSystem V9000, IBM SAN Volume Controller (SVC) and VersaStack^TM, as well as nearly 400 storage systems from IBM and others.
• Data sharing to the cloud: IBM Spectrum Scale now syncs file and object data across on-premises and cloud storage to connect cloud native applications. Relying on access to data wherever it resides, this can drive cognitive application development.
• High density, highly scalable all-flash storage: with a new high density expansion enclosure and new 7TB and 15TB flash drives, IBM Storwize solutions can grow up to 8x larger than previous solutions without disruption. Up to 32PB of flash storage in only four racks to meet the needs of fast-growing cloud workloads in space constrained data centers.
• All-flash performance for big data and analytics workloads: IBM's new DeepFlash Elastic Storage Server (ESS) offers up to 8x better performance than HDD based solutions for big data and analytics workloads. Built with IBM Spectrum Scale it includes virtually unlimited scaling, enterprise security features, unified file, object, and HDFS support.
• Faster decision making on larger data sets: new high-performance flash capability for IBM's DS8880 storage system provides 2x better performance and 3x more efficient use of rack space for mission-critical applications such as credit card and banking transactions as well as airline reservations running on IBM z Systems and IBM Power Systems.

Unisys builds reliability into its federal government cloud offering with IBM Spectrum Virtualize   
The world's largest companies and government organizations rely on Unisys to solve its IT and business challenges. Through the ' Cloud and Enterprise Compute Services' that Unisys offers to U.S. federal government clients, the company is addressing a need of data agility and lower operational costs. For Unisys, proving this functionality must come with assurances that client data will be available where and when and within a transparent price the client controls.

"We differentiate our enterprise cloud service by providing demanding performance and uptime Service Level Agreements. IBM's flash, software, and hybrid cloud solutions help us meet these requirements through achieving the right balance of our client's performance and cost needs," said Steve O'Brien, Chief Architect, Enterprise Storage Services, Unisys Federal. "In systems running IBM Spectrum Virtualize software, we are able to deliver a workable conduit to hybrid cloud for enterprise block storage."

Backed by IBM storage solutions today Unisys has built its own block storage cloud for federal government clients.  With this solution, Unisys delivers distinct and reliable gold, silver and bronze tiers of performance in a multi-tenant, software-defined storage cloud.

Availability  
New hybrid, cloud enabled storage solutions based on IBM Spectrum Virtualize software will be available worldwide in early December from IBM and through IBM Business Partners.

For more information about IBM Storage, visit ibm.com/storage. Follow IBM Storage on Twitter at @IBMStorage or @IBMSystemsISVs.

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SOURCE IBM