AppIQ Extends Hardware And Software Support For ILM Application

AppIQ, the developer of the ILM software that is offered to the channel by a number of OEM storage vendors, this week unveiled a new version of its software with expanded hardware and software support.

The Burlington, Mass.-based vendor of StorageAuthority, which is used by such vendors as Hitachi Data Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems, SGI, and Engenio to compete against ILM offerings from IBM and EMC, is adding several new major functions when version 4.0 of the software becomes available next quarter, said John Kelly, director of product marketing for the company.

The first is support of Network Appliance's Data ONTAP storage management software offering, said Kelly. Previously, StorageAuthority could discover, monitor, and support NetApp storage on a file-by-file basis, he said. The new version now allows corporate users to visualize their entire NetApp storage environment; centrally manage NetApp Filer storage appliance capacity, performance, and health; and configure and provision Filers from a single console, he said.

The second is the first in a new series of data protection modules, starting with a module for Veritas' NetBackup data protection software. The module reports on backup successes and failures and media health, and also gives a physical view of the NetBackup environment, Kelly said. "So if it reports a backup failure, you can go through the console to see where the failure started from," he said.

AppIQ is also adding a module to interface with Microsoft SQL Server databases similar to modules already available for Oracle and Sybase. Kelly said the module tracks a database's operations across a SAN via the entire data path, tracking its performance and capacity. "If there is any issue found at a switch, host bus adaptor, host, or wherever, the module alerts users where the problem is, and what applications are using which paths," he said.

AppIQ has no direct sales. The bulk of its revenue comes from sales via its OEM partners through their channels, as well as a handful of direct solution providers, Kelly said.