VMware Partner Exchange: New Storage For VDI, Virtual Servers, Clouds

Storage For Almost Any Virtualization Or Cloud Need

The VMware Partner Exchange conference was a great place for solution providers to get the latest technical and channel information related to the VDI, virtual server and cloud businesses. But it was a really great place to kick the tires on potential storage solutions for virtualized and cloud environments.

Given the importance of storing, accessing and migrating data across virtual and physical infrastructures, storage has become the keystone on which virtualized and cloud environments are built. And nowhere will one find a better selection of potential storage partners than at the VMware Partner Exchange.

Turn the page and see storage vendors who are hungry for VARs with virtualization and cloud requirements.

Centrix Software: Understanding Storage Impact On VDI

U.K.-based Centrix Software is working with Atlantis Computing to support the storage requirements of virtual desktop infrastructures with Centrix WorkSpace iQ, a technology that tracks IOPS (IOs per second) at a granular level to provide intelligence that can be used to define the impact of VDI deployments on the storage architecture and identify where optimization is needed to curtail costs. The screen shot shows the level of detail that WorkSpace iQ captures.

Dot Hill: Improving Performance, Security In Virtual Server Environments

Dot Hill Systems, Longmont, Colo., used the conference to unveil a new version of its firmware for its AssuredSAN 3000 storage systems that includes VMware vStorage APIs for Array Integration (VAAI) support and Site Recovery Manager (SRM) support to help improve performance and data security within VMware virtual server environments.

The AssuredSAN 3000's VAAI support is certified by VMware on vSphere 4.1 and 5. Its SRM support is certified by VMware on vSphere 5. The features are available through a free software upgrade to the AssuredSAN array.

EMC: Deep Dive Into Virtual Data Center And Cloud Operations

EMC used VMware Partner Exchange to unveil its new EMC IT Operations Intelligence 9.0 (ITOI 9.0), which it says delivers new capabilities for simplifying management of virtual data centers and cloud environments, including cross-domain availability and impact analysis for all VMware-attached storage and virtual machines. ITOI 9.0 extends the management capabilities of VMware vCenter Server to deliver a unified view into the entire virtual data center infrastructure and into the interrelationships between physical and virtual networking, compute, and storage elements. This provides a single, customizable view to help identify and resolve problems and deliver the information operations management teams need to assure delivery and availability of critical applications and services.

HDS: Showing Off VDI Support With New NAS Tech

At VMware Partner Exchange, Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) unveiled new benchmark results for its Hitachi NAS Platform, powered by technology from its acquisition of BlueArc. HDS used the VDI-IOmark tool to test the delivery and management of virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) deployments. The company said results included the ability to support over 1,500 virtual desktops, SSD and spinning disk support for array-based writable clones, the ability to virtually eliminate I/O and the performance impact of boot storms with writable clones, and support for an unlimited number of hosts per physical and virtual file server.

Neverfail: Extending VMware SRM Across Physical, Virtual Servers

Neverfail Group, an Austin, Texas-based provider of high-availability and disaster recovery solutions, unveiled its SRMXtender software which enables the failover/failback of physical servers to be planned and orchestrated by VMware Site Recovery Manager (SRM) Recovery Plans. SRMXtender is a vSphere plug-in which allows VMware customers to standardize on SRM for all their business continuity needs, protecting both physical servers and delivering rapid failover for priority applications. Because many VMware customers run physical and virtual servers side by side, VMware partners may be able to increase their deal value and generate additional margin by attaching SRMXtender to their VMware SRM deals.

Nexenta: Storage For VDI

Nexenta, Mountain View, Calif., formally introduced its new NexentaVSA For View, virtual storage appliance for use with VMware vSphere and View to deploy a customized storage platform with the virtual desktops. The solution is currently in beta testing.

Nexenta is looking to recruit solution providers. The company is offering partner discounts of up to 40 percent, with average initial sales of Nexenta systems expected to be about $50,000. A NexentaVSA solution, along with all the necessary software, hardware, and storage, costs about $350 per user.

Pivot3: Looking For 60 New VMware Premier VARs For SMB Unified Storage

Pivot3, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based developer of SMB unified storage and compute appliances certified under the VMware Rapid Desktop Program, unveiled its VDI Channel Ready program at the conference. The company is also planning to recruit 60 VMware Premiere VARs over the next six months to deploy its View Pivot3 vSTAC VDI appliances, which are targeted at customers looking to deploy between 200 and 1000 virtual desktops.

The Pivot3 VDI Channel Ready program provides partners with unique online tools for VDI self-configuration and ROI analysis. Additionally, prospects can ’Test Drive’ a live, hosted VDI infrastructure for 300 to 400 users complete with workload simulation, login storms, scale-out of desktops and performance reporting.

Starboard Storage: Channel-Only Storage Startup Exits Stealth

Starboard Storage Systems used VMware Partner Exchange to come out of stealth mode with a new storage architecture designed to handle mixed workloads including structured, unstructured, and virtualized data with a single platform.

Starboard's new AC72 storage system supports mixed storage workloads efficiently in a single scalable storage system instead of using multiple direct-attach, SAN, and NAS infrastructures. It does so by pooling hard drives and SSDs into one dynamic storage pool that can be carved up as needed for mixed workloads.

Starboard Storage has a channel-only business model offering solution providers 40-percent margins in addition to other benefits.

Tintri: Demos Second-generation Storage Appliance

Tintri demonstrated its new Tintri VMstore T540 appliance, the company's second-generation VM-aware storage appliance, at the VMware conference. New features include dual storage controllers, expanded usable capacity of up to 13.5 TB in a 3U form factor, end-to-end latency that allows admins to visualize performance bottlenecks, and a virtual machine auto-alignment feature that automates the process of aligning virtual machines to the storage layer. The T540 also includes a new 4-hour support option that Tintri said guarantees it will respond to any issue within a short window.

VirtualSharp Software: Advancing Its Channel Partnerships

VirtualSharp Software unveiled a new partner program at the VMware Partner Exchange that includes 30 partners across 14 geographies supporting its flagship product, ReliableDR. ReliableDR orchestrates enterprise clouds to fully automate failover testing and to ensure compliance with business continuity policies. The company also said it has signed 14 new enterprise customers and multiple SMB customers since it launched the third generation of ReliableDR at CloudBeat last November.

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