NEW YORK, Aug. 2 - IBM is set to launch a trio of storage-networking suites designed to enable researchers at disparate labs to share large volumes of data quickly and efficiently, the company said today.
The technology, which IBM plans to unveil at the Drug Discovery Technology meeting in Boston on Monday, integrates its storage technology, servers, and storage-management software, according to Kathy Smith, IBM's vice president of storage solutions.
According to IBM, the units will be available in three configurations:
Small-range labs can get a configuration that comprises IBM's FAStT500 mid-range storage disk; the TotalStorage LTO mid-range tape storage for archiving and backup; and an eServer p630, a tool for running UNIX applications. IBM launched this server about two weeks ago, Smith said.
Medium-range pharma companies and research groups can choose a kit that contains the FAStT500 disk; the TotalStorage LTO storage for backup and archiving; the network-attached storage 300G from IBM's storage area network; and the eServer pSeries for applications.
Meantime, big pharma and research groups can choose a setup with the TotalStorage enterprise storage server; the NAS 300 and 300G for file-serving either from a SAN or within a department; the TotalStorage LTO for backup and archiving; an eServer pSeries; and an eServer xSeries for running applications.
IBM said that each of these options come with the DB2 database software and the Tivoli management software.
So far, IBM has lined up biotech companies in the United States and Asia, Smith said. She declined to offer specifics. She added that EMC and Hitachi have technologies that would compete with IBM's entry.