FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jul 06, 2004
Combination powers collaborative data grids, libraries, and archives
San Diego, CA – July 06, 2004 - General Atomics (GA) today announced it has completed integration between the Nirvana division’s Storage Resource Broker (SRB) software with EMC Centera content addressed storage (CAS) solution. SRB, the most widely-deployed software of its type, is at the core of over 100 data federations worldwide, in the most complex data grids, massive digital libraries and archives in the most demanding data-centric implementations.
Centera represents an entirely new software-driven storage architecture specifically designed to address the unique information storage requirements of fixed content of all types, such as that associated with image libraries, archives, research and development data grids, and cross-enterprise data collaboration. The integration of SRB with Centera will add a data abstraction function and the ability to define enterprise-wide global namespaces in heterogeneous, multi-vendor environments. This will enable simplified deployment of advanced data grids, technical libraries and massive archives.
SRB is at the core of advanced projects spanning departmental and cross-organizational integration, neuroscience, particle physics, and cosmology. Prior to this integration, both SRB and Centera had been deployed in advanced implementations of this type. This combination of the most widely-implemented data grid software and Centera’s CAS capabilities, adds value in situations where complex storage environments present an obstacle to the easy management, discovery and presentation of disparate data to users who require a simple, uniform view of data related to their work.
Nirvana has completed integration of SRB software with Centera, has tested the functionality of the combination, and has placed several units in production. EMC and Nirvana have also installed configurations of Centera and other EMC products with SRB at a U.S. government agency, where the integrated offering is providing unprecedented capabilities, including simplified management, access control, security, data persistence, and ease of migration to EMC products.
"Storage Resource Broker and EMC Centera are a natural match for the current demand for reference data storage management, and they are also perfectly positioned to serve the emerging data grid market opportunity," according to Constantin Scheder, General Director of the Nirvana division.
Roy Sanford, EMC Vice President, Content Addressed Storage, said, "The integration between EMC Centera and Nirvana’s SRB benefits joint customers who are deploying advanced data grids, technical libraries and massive archives by unlocking the value of fixed content, while lowering costs and making it easier to manage and share this information."
Once relegated to tape archives, optical disks, or file cabinets, fixed content is now being driven online, often fueled by regulatory requirements in financial services and healthcare, as well as new controls in pharmaceutical and genomics R&D, but just as often driven by the opportunity – with this combination of tools – to leverage existing data to achieve more ambitious results. Just as the growth of applications such as computer aided design (CAD) and the explosion of the Web drove the use of network attached storage (NAS) and storage area networks (SAN) as enterprise storage strategies, the need to manage, protect and access fixed content is the driving force behind this new category of networked storage.
Whether electronic business documents, X-Rays or check images, all types of fixed content have three common attributes: long-term value to an organization, the need to remain unchanged, and increased value through fast access with assured content integrity.
The Centera network-based storage solution is designed to deliver all three while economically scaling from multiple terabyte to petabyte-sized environments. Adding SRB can extend and accelerate these benefits in heterogeneous environments.
About Nirvana and General Atomics
General Atomics is a leader in high-tech systems development, from nuclear fission and fusion, to the Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. The Nirvana division specializes in advanced information management systems for complex storage environments. Further information on the division’s products can be found at www.nirvanastorage.com.
Trademarks
Nirvana, SRB, and Storage Resource Broker, and Predator are registered trademarks of General Atomics
EMC is a registered trademark, and Centera is a trademark of EMC Corporation, Hopkinton, MA.
Contact
Constantin Scheder: 858-455-2500