IBM Spectrum Virtualize Software V7.5.0 Introduces HyperSwap

IBM Spectrum Virtualize Software V7.5.0 introduces HyperSwap.

Spectrum Virtualize Software V7.5 provides software-defined storage capabilities across a variety of platforms, including SAN Volume Controller, Storwize V7000 (Unified), Storwize V5000, Storwize V3700, and Storwize V3500.

These offerings help customers reduce
the complexities and cost of managing their storage by:

Centralizing management of storage volumes to enable administrators to manage storage volumes from a single point
Improving utilization of storage capacity with virtual volumes to enable businesses to tap into previously unused disk capacity
Avoiding downtime for backups, maintenance, and upgrades
Performing data migration without disruption to applications
Enabling all storage devices to be organized into storage pools from which virtual volumes, whether standard, compressed, or thin-provisioned, are created with the desired characteristics
Delivering automation of storage management with SmartCloud Virtual Storage Center, Tivoli Storage Productivity Center (as applicable by platform), and Tivoli Storage FlashCopy Manager (as applicable by platform)
Increasing the performance efficiency of storage pools with Easy Tier
Restoring data access quickly with near and remote copy capabilities across FC, FCoE (FCoE), and IP networks

HyperSwap capability in Spectrum Virtualize Software V7.5 delivers HA and DR in one solution. HyperSwap reuses capital investments in order to achieve a range of recovery and management options which are transparent to host operations.
The ability to increase the number of FlashCopy relationships is supported with Spectrum Virtualize Software V7.5 by an increase in the bitmap space allocated for FlashCopy.

Spectrum Virtualize Software V7.5 also now supports direct 16Gb FC (except for AIX), Microsoft Offloaded Data Transfer (ODX), vSphere 6, and the underlying infrastructure for VMware Virtual Volumes (VVols).

Software requirements:

SAN Volume Controller V7.5 (5641-VC7 and 5641-CP7) has the same software prerequisites as SAN Volume Controller V7.4.
Storwize V7000 V7.5 (5339-CB7, 5639-XB7, 5639-EB7, 5639-VM7, 5639-EV7, 5639-RM7, and 5639-CP7) has the same software prerequisites as Storwize V7000 V7.4.
Spectrum Virtualize Software V7.5 is not available for Flex System V7000. Flex System V7000 V7.2 (5639-NZ7, 5639-EX7, 5639-RE7, and 5639-CM7) has the same software prerequisites as IBM Flex System V7000 V7.1.
IBM Storwize V5000 V7.5 (5639-CT7, 5639-XT7, and 5639-ET7) has the same software prerequisites as IBM Storwize V5000 V7.4.

Hardware requirements

Spectrum Virtualize Software for SAN Volume Controller requires at least one pair of IBM System Storage SAN Volume Controller (2145-DH8) storage engines with integrated battery backup units, or at least one pair of System Storage SAN Volume Controller (2145-CG8, 2145-CF8, 2145-8A4, or 2145-8G4) storage engines with dual uninterruptible power supplies for installation.
Spectrum Virtualize Software for Storwize V7000 requires at least one IBM Storwize V7000 Control Enclosure (2076-524, 2076-112, 2076-124, 2076-312, or 2076-324) for installation.
Spectrum Virtualize Software V7.5 is not available for the Flex System V7000. IBM Storwize Family Software for Flex System V7000 V7.2 requires at least one Flex System V7000 (4939-A49, 4939-H49, or 4939-X49) Control Enclosure for installation.
Spectrum Virtualize Software for Storwize V5000 requires at least one Storwize V5000 control enclosure (2077-12C, 2077-24C, 2078-12C, or 2078-24C) for installation.
FlashSystem V840 Software V7.4 (5639-FS7) requires an FlashSystem V840 Storage System (9846-AC1 and 9846-AE1, or 9848-AC1 and 9848-AE1) for installation.

Current support summaries, including specific software, hardware, and firmware levels supported, are maintained at their respective support websites.

Planned availability date: June 5, 2015