Tony Pearson is a Master Inventor, Senior IT Architect and Event Content Manager for [
Christopher Vollmar is a Storage Architect supporting customers in Canada and the Caribbean. He is a Certified Consulting IT Specialist and a Design Thinking practitioner. He has also been a contributing author to the the 
The developerWorks Connections platform will be sunset on December 31, 2019. On January 1, 2020, this blog will no longer be available. More details available on our FAQ.
More Like A Cul-De-Sac
I almost sprayed coffee all over my screen when I read this post from fellow blogger from EMC Mark Twomey on his StorageZilla blog titled [Dead End]. In it he implies that you should only consider storage technologies based on x86 technologies such as those from Intel, not other CPU technologies like POWER or MIPS.
Puh-leeze! When IBM first came out with the SAN Volume Controller in 2003, we were able to show that adding Intel-based SVC nodes can improve the performance and functionality of POWER-based DMX boxes from EMC. EMC salesmen often retorted with "Yes, but do you really want to risk your mission-critical data going through an Intel-based processor solution?" This FUD implied that Intel had a bad reputation for quality and reliability. The original Symmetrix were based on Motorolla 68000's but they modernized to use IBM's POWER chips in their later models. EMC's previous attempt to use Intel technology was their EMC Invista, a commercial failure. It is no surprise then that EMC DMX customers are scared to death to move their mission critical data over to Intel-based V-max. I have found the primary reason people fear Intel-based solutions is their experience with poorly-written Windows programs. There were enough of these poorly-written Windows programs that everyone has either personal experience, or knows someone who has, and that was enough. It reminds me of the time I was in Vac, Hungary, giving a lab tour to a set of prospective clients where we manufacture the DS8000 series and SAN Volume Controller. Rows and rows of beautiful Hungarian women sliding disk drives in place, and big hefty Hungarian beefcake moving the finished units to their appropriate places. The head of the facility explained all about the hardware technology, how we check and double check all of the equipment individually, and together as a system. One client stated "Yes, but how often are problems from the hardware? We find nearly all of our problems on disk systems from whichever storage vendor we buy from are in the microcode." It's true. Both Intel-based processors and POWER-based processors have all the technological functions needed to run storage systems. The difference is all in the microcode. So, if you are looking for safe and stable microcode, the IBM System Storage DS8700 continues its POWER-based tradition for compatibility with previous models. For those that demand x86-based units, the IBM SAN Volume Controller has been around since 2003, the XIV Storage System has been in production since 2005, and our IBM N series are also Intel-based, running Version 7 of the ONTAP operating system.
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Events in December 2009
Visits (9689)
For those who want to meet me in person, there are two opportunities coming up in December.
I will be at both events in December, so feel free to contact me if you want to arrange a visit.
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IT Superstar Video
Visits (9603)
If you would like a bit of humor, check out my [IT Superstar" video], and yes, I do speak several languages including Portuguese. |
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XIV and Networking Announcements
Visits (12229)
Well, it's Tuesday again, and we have more IBM announcements.
With the holiday season coming up at the end of the year, now is a great time to ask Santa for a new shiny pair of XIV systems, and some extra networking gear to connect them.
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... Is Like Mighty Rivers Flowing
Visits (11385)
Well, I had a pleasant vacation. I took a trip up to beautiful Lake Powell in Northern Arizona as part of a "Murder Mystery Dinner" weekend. This trip was organized by AAA and Lake Powell in association with the professionals at [Murder Ink Productions] out of Phoenix. 
The trip involved two busloads of people from Tucson and Phoenix driving up to Lake Powell, with a series of meals that introduced all the characters and gave out clues to solve a murder. At the end of the dinner on the last evening, we had to guess who dunnit, how, and why. I solved it, and got this lovely tee-shirt.
If you don't understand how this all works, here is a quick 6-minute [video] on YouTube. Mr. Baker mentions IBM's leadership in this area several times throughout his book. This week, IBM unveiled [New Offerings to Help Clients Better Manage Content With Analytics]. Information is like mighty rivers flowing, and it is necessary to get a sense of what is going on around us if we are to make this a smarter planet.
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