IBM's TotalStorage Proven Targets Interoperability

Called TotalStorage Proven, the program,introduced at PartnerWorld 2002 here,is designed to ensure point-to-point and network-wide interoperability between IBM's and competitors' storage products, including disk arrays, NAS servers, tape automation products, software and components, said Kathleen Smith, vice president of storage solutions for IBM's Storage Systems Group.

By certifying specific configurations as interoperable, solution providers could shorten the sales cycle and ease integration, Smith said. IBM already has certified some solutions as TotalStorage Proven, including Sun Microsystems servers with LTO tape automation products; HP-UX servers with SAP and IBM's Shark ESS storage array; and a disaster-recovery solution using Windows NT, Tivoli Storage Manager, LTO drives and FAStT storage arrays.

IBM is opening TotalStorage Solution Centers in more than 130 business partner sites worldwide for testing custom storage solutions, Smith said.

In addition, IBM last week teamed up with Hitachi Data Systems for storage interoperability testing. The companies plan to test the compatibility of Hitachi's Freedom Storage 7700 and 9900 arrays and IBM's NAS 300 gateway, which allows SAN arrays to also serve NAS data.

By allowing a Hitachi array to connect to IBM's NAS gateway, IBM risks increased competition from Hitachi; Sun, which resells Hitachi's 9900 array; and Hewlett-Packard, which OEMs Hitachi's 7700 and 9900. But Bob Mahoney, vice president of IBM storage networking solutions, said he's not concerned about potential competition.

"Interoperability in an open environment,that is our commitment. We believe that is what our customers are asking for," he said.

Mahoney declined to discuss plans to test interoperability with storage arrays from other vendors.