Another FC story from Computer Reseller News:
techweb.com
Following are excerpts:
<<Compaq Commits Big To
Storage-Area Networks
(11/03/98 1:14 p.m. ET)
By Joe Wilcox, Computer Reseller News
Compaq announced Monday that it will significantly
enhance its StorageWorks enterprise backup solution
with robust, enterprise-ready Fibre Channel clusters.
A key component is the introduction of the Model 35/70
DLT 15 Cartridge Library, which adds Fibre Channel
functionality, support for 1 terabyte of storage, and a
backup rate of 36 gigabytes per hour.
The solution lets VARs configure three libraries
together, supported by one Fibre Channel tape controller
per library in tabletop or rack-mount fashion.
Guy MacKenzie, product manager for StorageWorks
Enterprise Backup Solutions, explained that by using
Fibre Channel, VARs could set up customer installations
for concurrent backups without exhausting network
resources. StorageWorks has been working for about
two years putting this solution together, he said.
Basic components of the storage-area network (SAN)
backup solution include a Fibre Channel loop, host
adapter, storage hub and tape controller, shared
differential tape libraries, and Fibre Channel-enabled
backup software. The solution also comes with a
software CD and Storage Management Solutions 3,
which includes backup software.
The 12-port hub limits configurations; for example, 11
servers and one tape library or nine servers and three
tape libraries. Compaq will introduce bigger libraries in
the first quarter of 1999, company officials said.
But the limitations stop there. Because of the bandwidth
available separate from the network, concurrent backup
is only limited to the number of tape drives.
"If I've got six drives, I can be doing six parallel
backups," MacKenzie said.
Compaq's commitment to SAN backup is crucial to its
wide-range acceptance, analysts said.
Dataquest, a San Jose, Calif.,
market-research company,
recently surveyed 250
Windows NT users and found
three areas dominated their
backup strategies: reliability and
data integrity, disaster
recovery, and online backup.
Compaq's SAN backup solution
successfully addresses all three
areas, said Tom Lahive, senior
analyst at Dataquest.
"Compaq, by far, has the
largest NT server and storage
market share right now,"
Lahive said. "What users are
telling us is they need more robust backup strategies. In
order to justify online backup, you need the No. 1 market
leader providing the full solution. The key with Compaq
doing it is it will commoditize the online backup
marketplace."
Lahive said he expects most major vendors will follow
suit within two months. But some aren't waiting that long.
Data General's Clariion division announced Monday it
had entered into a partnership with 3Com, based in Santa
Clara, Calif., to deliver Fibre Channel SANs for NT
server environments. >>
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