ACADEMIA

With PoINT Storage Manager, PoINT Software & Systems GmbH as an ISV (Independent Software Vendor) provides a solution that can be integrated in almost any infrastructure independent of the storage hardware used

Storage capacity is very expensive. Disregard of Compliance is risky. Obsolete storage systems cause trouble. Any IT manager will fully agree with these statements. PoINT Storage Manager provides a software solution which addresses all three issues by an integrated Tiered Storage approach.

Increasing numbers of companies realize the benefits of the Tiered Storage approach. Major reasons for the implementation of a Tiered Storage infrastructure are compliance and storage economics which both include requirements for migration of data. With PoINT Storage Manager, PoINT Software & Systems GmbH as an ISV (Independent Software Vendor) provides a solution that can be integrated in almost any infrastructure independent of the storage hardware used. The product offers the following major functions:

- Migration of inactive data by automated, policy-based Storage Tiering/ HSM 
- Compliance by transparent archiving
- Seamless migration across multiple diverse storage systems

The benefit of a three-Tiered Storage architecture is evident: Expensive primary storage can be used much more efficient by migrating rarely used data to lower cost devices and to archive. This normally represents up to 80% of the total data. Expensive upgrade of primary storage is no longer necessary. In addition the back-up process is relieved. PoINT Storage Manager ensures that data is still available within the file system of primary storage after migration to cost-effective secondary storage (e.g. SATA RAID). Unlike other storage solutions, access to the requested file is provided directly to the application from the secondary storage by a pass thru mechanism, and data is not re-sent to the primary storage first.

Additionally to maintain compliance, files can be archived by a policy-based mechanism into the Archive Tier of the three-Tiered Storage model. PoINT Storage Manager ensures that archived files are secured against modification and, if requested, attached with a retention period. The key advantage of PoINT’s hardware independent software solution is the support of all storage technologies (Disk, Tape, Optical, Cloud) and device types (DAS, NAS, CAS, Libraries …). 
Included migration functions of PoINT Storage Manager allow that Storage systems can be replaced by new technologies and equipment without any interruption of operations. The background migration avoids expensive down times and ensures that all files remain under access while migration process.

PoINT Software & Systems GmbH will present PoINT Storage Manager with various storage peripheral devices s at this year’s CeBIT, which takes place from 06th till 10th March 2012 in Hannover, in hall 3, booth D33.