IBM Enhances Flash Storage Family

February 11, 2021

IBM introduced new high-speed, entry-level flash storage systems, as well as hybrid cloud and container-centric updates, all designed to help make enterprise-class storage accessible to businesses of all sizes and needs.

The need for high capacity, cost-effective storage is on the rise as global data creation is expected to balloon to 143 zettabytes by 2024, according to IDC.[1] That need is amplified by accelerated digital transformations spurred by the pandemic. A recent study by IBM's Institute for Business Value, COVID-19 and the future of business, for example, reported that 59 percent of companies surveyed have accelerated digital transformation plans due to the pandemic.

"The data needs of business have become critical since the pandemic," said Deney Dentel, President and CEO, Nordisk Systems, a Converge Company, an IBM Premiere Business Partner. "Enterprise class data availability, massive scalability, and the flexibility to access and manage data across hybrid clouds are imperatives. IBM's refresh of the FlashSystem line and its continued integration of hybrid cloud and container capabilities are exactly what's needed to keep companies performing at a high level as workforce dynamics and economics evolve."

"As the world moves more rapidly to hybrid cloud, modernized data storage is at the foundation," said Denis Kennelly, General Manager, IBM Storage. "Systems that provide global data availability, data resilience, automation, and enterprise-class data services are more critical than ever. Today's announcement is designed to bring these capabilities to organizations of any size."

IBM FlashSystem 5200 – Storage Made Simple

The new FlashSystem 5200 is one of IBM's most powerful storage systems for its size and designed to provide enterprise-class storage capabilities to organizations of any size. And although it has greater performance and capacity than its predecessor, the FlashSystem 5100, the new 5200 has a base price that is on average 20% less expensive (based on configuration).

Other key attributes include:

•Hybrid Cloud & Containers: The IBM FlashSystem 5200, like the entire IBM flash storage portfolio, supports Red Hat OpenShift, Container Storage Interface (CSI) for Kubernetes, Ansible automation, and Kubernetes, as well as VMWare and bare metal environments.

•Enterprise Capabilities: The system also comes with IBM Storage Insights, which can give users visibility across complex storage environments to help them make informed decisions, and IBM Spectrum Virtualize, which enables users to consolidate and manage storage as if it were one pool, designed to improve performance and lowering operating expenses. Also included are such data resiliency functions as IBM HyperSwap which supports automatic failover in case of a site incident.

•Capacity: FlashSystem 5200 starts with 38TB of data capacity and can grow to deliver 1.7PB in a compact 1U form factor for space-constrained environments, or the equivalent of close to 1 trillion pages of printed text.

•Speed: Although FlashSystem 5200 is half the size of traditional storage systems, it offers 66% greater maximum I/Os than its predecessor and 40% more data throughput at 21GB/s, and is designed to help clients save on both capital and operating expenses.

IBM announced two additional models to the FlashSystem series that are designed to deliver improved performance: the FlashSystem 5015 and 5035, both of which are 2U systems, designed for organizations with less demanding performance and growth requirements but with the same rich IBM Spectrum Virtualize and IBM Storage Insights functions.

Advancing Hybrid Cloud Even Further Across Storage

IBM today also announced plans to continue advancing hybrid cloud capabilities across its storage portfolio.

When made generally available in March, the company will add support for IBM Cloud Satellite to the FlashSystem portfolio, IBM SAN Volume Controller, IBM Elastic Storage System and IBM Spectrum Scale. IBM Cloud Satellite is being designed to enable companies to build, deploy and manage cloud services anywhere – in any public cloud, on premises and at the edge – with speed and simplicity. IBM Cloud Satellite will be delivered as-a-service from a single pane of glass and managed through the IBM public cloud and is currently in beta.

IBM also announced plans to update IBM Spectrum Virtualize for Public Cloud, software that enables clients to replicate or migrate data from heterogeneous storage systems between on-premises environments and IBM Cloud or Amazon Web Services. IBM plans to extend the same capabilities to Microsoft Azure starting with a beta program in the third quarter of 2021.