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IBM storage

From Alfawiki
IBM Storage
Company typeDivision
IndustryComputer storage
FounderInternational Business Machines Corporation
ParentIBM

The IBM storage lineup encompasses disk drives, flash memory, tape solutions, NAS devices, storage software, and related services. Central to IBM's approach is a strong focus on data management.

IBM Spectrum Storage

IBM Spectrum Storage provides centralized control over more than 300 storage units and handles data volumes measured in yottabytes.

IBM Spectrum Accelerate

Derived from the IBM XIV platform, Spectrum Accelerate utilizes the same software framework, offering capabilities such as system management, remote replication, and volume mobility.

IBM Spectrum Scale

Designed as software-defined storage optimized for cloud environments and analytics workloads, IBM Spectrum Scale enjoys extensive adoption across commercial enterprises and academic institutions. Previously identified as GPFS, it was rebranded in 2015.

IBM Spectrum Virtualize

This block-level storage virtualization technology underpins the IBM Storwize V7000 and SAN Volume Controller (SVC) products. Since 2012, it features real-time compression that does not affect performance, achieving disk space savings up to 80%. It supports Stretched Cluster Mode to facilitate automatic failover between geographically separated data centers and incorporates SSDs through EasyTier for tiering below the logical unit number (LUN) level.

IBM Spectrum Control

IBM Spectrum Control offers comprehensive infrastructure management tailored for virtualized, cloud-based, and software-defined storage systems.

IBM Spectrum Protect

As the evolution of Tivoli Storage Management, IBM Spectrum Protect delivers sophisticated solutions for data protection and recovery.

IBM Spectrum Archive

IBM Spectrum Archive allows applications originally designed for disk file access to seamlessly interact with data stored on tape media.

IBM presents four variants:

  • IBM LTFS Single Drive Edition – manages data on individual tape drives with disk-like ease
  • IBM LTFS Library Edition – facilitates data management across multiple cartridges within tape libraries
  • IBM LTFS Storage Manager – oversees both online and offline files in IBM tape libraries
  • IBM LTFS Enterprise Edition – enables running disk-based applications directly from tape storage

IBM SmartCloud Storage Access

IBM SmartCloud Storage Access constructs private cloud storage environments using existing hardware assets. It supports self-service features such as account setup, storage allocation, and file administration, coupled with monitoring and reporting tools that track usage by users and groups.

Active Cloud Engine

The Active Cloud Engine (ACE) enables multi-site replication to facilitate dynamic data sharing across heterogeneous cloud infrastructures. ACE expands SONAS functionality from a single namespace to a globally distributed namespace architecture.

IBM Easy Tier

IBM Easy Tier automates the placement of data across as many as three tiers of drives within disk pools to maximize performance without interrupting running applications. This feature is supported on IBM DS8000 series, Storwize models (V7000, V7000 Unified, V5000, V3700), and SAN Volume Controller platforms.

Current hardware

Since 2019, IBM has ceased production of HDD- and SSD-based storage servers, redirecting its focus exclusively toward flash-optimized and tape-centric storage technologies.

IBM FlashSystem

IBM FlashSystem represents a portfolio of dedicated all-flash storage arrays built on an Intel x86 architecture but not using traditional SSDs.

Following the acquisition of Texas Memory Systems in 2012—a company specializing in flash storage—IBM announced a $1 billion investment in flash research and development in April 2013. The product line was refreshed in 2014 with the introduction of FlashSystem 840 and FlashSystem V840 models. The portfolio has received yearly updates since then. Originally limited to 1U rackmount configurations, the current FlashSystem series includes options in 1U, 2U, and 6U rack sizes.

In 2017, the FlashSystem brand superseded the IBM XIV product line; by 2020 it had also replaced the Storwize brand.

IBM Data Engine for NoSQL – an integrated appliance combining an IBM PowerLinux server with FlashSystem modules serving as non-volatile memory extensions rather than storage devices. It delivers large-scale NoSQL capabilities preloaded with Redis, Cassandra, and Neo4J databases, supporting up to 57 TB of in-memory data instances.

DS Series Storage

The DS series consists of IBM Power-based storage solutions tailored specifically for IBM Power Systems and IBM Z platforms. Previously marketed under the names System Storage DS and TotalStorage DS, the current lineup employs a streamlined naming convention, using DS#### to denote flash storage models.

DS8000 series': The DS8000 family includes both full cabinet-sized and half-rack mountable configurations. It incorporates self-encrypting drives across all storage tiers to strengthen protection of data at rest.

Tape and Virtual Tape Solutions

TS Libraries and Servers

The tape product lines, once branded as System Storage TS or TotalStorage TS, utilize IBM POWER controllers akin to those in the DS storage portfolio.

TS7000 series
This virtual tape library series is designed primarily for mainframe environments. The TS7700 models, originally introduced as System Storage 7700, have undergone successive updates through 2018 and 2020. Available either as fully assembled rack units or half-rack mountable systems, they are engineered to fit enterprise infrastructure requirements.
TS4500

Developed as a versatile tape library for medium to large enterprises, the TS4500 addresses cloud storage challenges by integrating advanced LTO (Linear Tape-Open) and IBM enterprise technologies. It helps manage escalating data volumes, rising storage expenses, migration complexities, and reduced IT staffing.

TS4300

A high-density tape library emphasizing secure long-term data retention while minimizing data center footprint and power consumption. Its modular architecture allows vertical expansion up to seven modules equipped with LTO Ultrium cartridges, drives, and redundant power supplies. Enhanced data protection features ensure compliance with security standards.

TS2900

An entry-level automated backup solution designed for rack-mounted systems and small to mid-sized businesses. The TS2900 provides dense storage capacity using half-height LTO Ultrium tapes with 6 Gbps SAS drive connectivity. It supports web-based remote management and includes a barcode reader for streamlined operation, suitable for both rack or desktop deployment.

TS Tape Drives

TS2230 series

The IBM System Storage TS2230 Tape Drive (Model Type 3580, Model H3V) is a high-capacity, high-performance device intended for backup and recovery of open systems applications. As the third generation in the Ultrium series, it features a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) interface and utilizes the LTO IBM Ultrium 3 Half-High Tape Drive technology.

TS1150 series

The IBM TS1150 tape drive delivers rapid data access combined with enhanced security and cost-effective long-term retention compared to disk alternatives. As a fifth-generation model, it supports encryption capabilities and maintains backward compatibility with existing tape automation infrastructures, including an upgrade path from the TS1140. Additionally, it supports the LTFS format within IBM Spectrum Archive for intuitive graphical file access.

Discontinued Hardware – x86 Platforms

PureData Servers

Launched in 2012 as successors to the Netezza line, PureData servers were engineered to optimize big data analytics through integrated system design.

Flash Storage

IBM DeepFlash

  • DeepFlash 150 – This ultra-dense SSD solution is built around a SanDisk InfiniFlash IF100 drawer, delivering up to 0.5 petabytes of flash capacity within a 3U rack footprint using IBM Spectrum Scale software. Connected via SAS interfaces to as many as eight servers configured as application clusters or software-defined storage nodes, it targets minimal cost per reliable capacity. Released in 2016.
  • DeepFlash Elastic Storage Server – Combines one or two DeepFlash 150 drawers with IBM Spectrum Scale software to offer Exascale-class storage optimized for analytics workloads such as Hadoop and media streaming servers. It supports file protocols (NFS, SMB), object protocols (Swift, S3), and Hadoop access with automated data placement and lifecycle management spanning Memory, Flash, Disk, and Tape tiers. The system can non-disruptively cluster with existing IBM Elastic Storage Servers scaling up to 8,000 devices.

Additional Flash Storage Offerings

High IOPS PCIe Adapters – These PCIe card adapters were designed for former IBM System x servers providing capacities up to 2.4 TB before transitioning under Lenovo ownership.

HDD/SSD Storage – Entry-Level and Midrange Workloads

IBM XIV

The IBM XIV Storage System was developed for cloud and virtualized environments offering cabinet-sized configurations equipped with drives ranging from 2 to 6 TB each. It delivered up to 485 TB of usable capacity per rack with optional SSD caching adding up to 12 TB of high-speed cache memory. External connectivity supported Fibre Channel (8 Gbit/s) and iSCSI (1 or 10 Gbit/s). The XIV line has since been superseded by the IBM FlashSystem family.

IBM Storwize Series

Sharing software foundations with the IBM SAN Volume Controller, the Storwize family focuses on virtualization capabilities, technology migration support, and safeguarding investments in aging systems. Key functionalities include advanced caching mechanisms, free Easy Tier automatic data tiering, automatic hotspot mitigation, and inline real-time compression that extends capacity on external arrays.

  • Storwize V7000 series – Introduced in 2010 as a compact (2U) virtualizing storage platform inheriting SAN Volume Controller features.
    • Storwize V7000 Gen1 – Offers FCP (8/16 Gbit/s), FCoE, and iSCSI (1/10 Gbit/s) host connectivity along with Real-time Compression capable of reducing disk usage by up to 80%.
    • Storwize V7000 Gen2 & Gen2 turbo – Enhanced versions delivering greater throughput and support for up to 720 drives per controller or scaling to 3,040 drives in clustered configurations.
    • Storwize V7000F – An SSD-exclusive variant.
    • Storwize V7000 Unified – Integrates block storage with NAS protocols (SMB, NFS) powered by IBM Spectrum Scale software.
    • Storwize V7000 Gen3 – The final iteration prior to integration into the FlashSystem product line in 2020.
  • Storwize V5000 series – Released in 2013 targeting midrange virtualization needs within a 2U chassis.
    • Storwize V5000 – Supports host attachments via 6 Gbit SAS and 1 Gbit iSCSI plus 8 Gbit Fibre Channel or 10 Gbit iSCSI/FCoE; scalable up to 480 drives through expansions or up to 960 drives in two-node clusters.
    • Storwize V5000 Gen2 – Upgraded model families (V5010, V5020, V5030) enabling in-place upgrades with expanded drive support.
    • Storwize V5000F – Designed exclusively for SSD deployments.
    • Storwize V5000 Gen3 – Final update before merging into FlashSystem in 2020.
  • Storwize V3700 – Launched in 2012 as an entry-level 2U system aimed at small-to-medium businesses offering consolidation capabilities from higher-tier systems. Features Transparent Cloud Tiering supporting Swift- and S3-compatible object stores for cold data tiering of snapshots and archives. Compatible with IBM Cloud Object Store (Cleversafe), IBM Spectrum Scale object stores, as well as popular S3-compatible clouds including IBM Bluemix. Offsite tiering provides AES encryption via licensed options.

HDD/SSD Storage – High-Density Rack Systems

The IBM Storwize High-Density Expansion unit (5U92) connects via 12 Gb SAS lanes supporting Storwize V5000 Gen2, V7000, and SAN Volume Controller arrays. Housing up to ninety-two hot-swappable large form factor drives within a compact 5U enclosure, it is ideal for reducing data center footprint while serving active archive, streaming media, and big data warehouse applications.

Its peak throughput is equivalent to four chained expansions of the smaller 2U Storwize EXP units utilizing similar drive counts.

Retired Hardware – POWER and Early RISC Platforms

Flash Storage

Certain System Storage DS8000 Series models designated DS8###F are included here.

HDD/SSD Storage

  • System Storage range (2006–2019)
    • N7000, N6000, N3000 series
    • DS300 (iSCSI controller)
    • DS400 (Fibre Channel-attached controller supporting SCSI drives)
    • DS3000 Series
      • DS3200, DS3400, DS3500
    • DS4000 Series
      • DS4500, DS4700, DS4800
    • DS5000 Series
      • DS5020, DS5100, DS5300
    • DS6000 Series
      • DS6800: enterprise-class storage featuring Fibre Channel and FICON host interfaces; dual PowerPC 750 controllers housed in a compact 3U chassis supporting sixteen FC drive bays; expandable up to one hundred twenty-eight drives via DS6000 expansion units (1750-EX1/EX2)
    • DS8000 Series
    • DCS3700
    • DCS9550 (based on DataDirect Networks S2A9550 platform)
    • Expansion units: EXP710 (2 Gbit Fibre Channel), EXP810 (4 Gbit Fibre Channel) designed for DS4000 connectivity
  • TotalStorage lineup (2001–2006)
    • DS4000 Series
      • Models include DS4100 (FC-attached SATA controller), DS4200, DS4300 including Turbo variants, DS4400
    • FAStT Series (rebranded as TotalStorage DS4000 in 2004)
      • Expansion drawers EXP200 and EXP500 featuring 1 Gbit Fibre Channel connectivity
      • Tape libraries FAStT100 (DS4100), FAStT200, FAStT500; FAStT600 variants corresponding to DS4300 models including Turbo versions; FAStT700 (DS4400); FAStT900 (DS4500)
    • Enterprise Storage Server later renamed TotalStorage DS8000 Series
    • Expansion units: EXP700 (2 Gbit Fibre Channel for DS4000), EXP300 (SCSI Ultra160), EXP400 (SCSI Ultra320), EXP100 (1 Gbit Fibre Channel employing SATA disks)
  • Enterprise Storage Server (ESS or "Shark"; predecessor platform of the DS8000 Series)
  • STN6800
  • STN6500

SONAS

IBM Scale Out Network Attached Storage (SONAS) was IBM's enterprise-grade, x86-based storage solution utilizing GPFS technology, introduced as a hardware offering in 2010. This platform delivers NAS protocols across an extensive global namespace and achieves scale-out capabilities by employing commodity hardware components, supporting up to 30 balanced nodes and reaching 21 PB of storage capacity by 2011. By 2013, the product range incorporated the DCS3700 storage series. GPFS equips SONAS with integrated Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) and seamless integration with Tivoli Storage Manager, enabling efficient data migration between disk pools.

TS4500 Tape Library

The TS4500 is a high-density tape library compatible with Linear Tape-Open (LTO) versions 5 and 6, as well as TS1140 and TS1150 drives. It offers native capacity scaling up to 35.5 PB using 3592 cartridges, or up to 11.7 PB with LTO 6 cartridges, delivering a dense footprint of up to 5.5 PB within just 10 square feet.

TS3500 Tape Library

A highly expandable tape library that supports LTO or TS11x0 drives, capable of growing to 16 frames, housing up to 192 drives and exceeding 20,000 cartridges per library string. In a complex configuration, it can accommodate as many as 2,700 drives.

Tape Drives

  • TS1140 – A tape drive utilizing 3592 media designed for enhanced performance and reliability.
  • TS1060 – A generation 6 LTO tape drive compatible with TS3500 libraries, featuring Ultrium 6 technology.

Tape Libraries

  • TS3310 – An expandable library supporting up to 18 LTO drives and a maximum of 409 cartridges when fully expanded.
  • TS3200 – A library accommodating up to four LTO half-height drives with a capacity of 48 cartridges, or two full-height drives.
  • TS3100 – Supports up to two half-height LTO drives with a cartridge capacity of 24, or one full-height drive.

Tape Drives

  • IBM System Storage TS2900 Tape Autoloader – Entry-level automated backup and archiving solution tailored for SMBs, utilizing IBM LTO Half-High SAS tape technology.
  • TS2360 – Full-height standalone or rack-mount drive delivering 2.5 TB native capacity; features include media partitioning, IBM Linear Tape File System (LTFS), encryption capabilities, and WORM support.
  • TS2260 – Half-height standalone or rack-mount tape drive offering 2.5 TB native capacity.

Virtual Tape Libraries

  • TS7620 ProtecTIER Deduplication Appliance – A preconfigured storage repository that can be deployed as a Virtual Tape Library or via Symantec OpenStorage interface, providing up to 35 TB of capacity.
  • IBM Virtualization Engine TS7700 Series – Virtual tape libraries designed for System z mainframes that leverage disk caching to speed backups and minimize backup windows; include end-to-end encryption. Models such as the TS7740 and TS7720 enhance backup and restore operations through tiered disk and tape storage architectures.
  • IBM System Storage TS7650G ProtecTIER Deduplication Gateway – An enterprise-grade data protection solution offering inline deduplication with scalability reaching up to 1 PB of physical storage per system and supporting backup capacities as high as 25 PB.
TotalStorage System Storage
Flash: — DS8000 series
HDD/SSD: DS8000 series
DS6000 series
— DCS3700 —
— DS5000, DS4000, DS3000 series —
Tape: — TS7000 series
TS3000, TS4000 series
TS1000, TS2000 series


See also

External links

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