NetApp StorageGRID, Result of Bycast Acquisition

NetApp, Inc. announced the availability of NetApp StorageGRID, a solution designed to manage petabyte-scale globally distributed repositories of images, video, and records for enterprises and service providers.

StorageGRID, which is a result of NetApp’s completed acquisition of Bycast Inc. on May 14, 2010, extends NetApp’s leadership position in unified storage by adding an object storage offering. Object storage is a new and emerging approach to storing and accessing unstructured data that can simplify the task of large-scale object storage while improving the ability to quickly search and locate data objects globally.

"StorageGRID is certainly strategic for NetApp with a solid entry in object-based, scalable, policy-based storage management," said Terri McClure, senior analyst, ESG. "It is complementary to the existing NetApp storage portfolio since it sits as an application above the storage systems and virtualizes the storage environment. The massive amounts of information that users are now, or will be in coming years, struggling to manage requires a new storage paradigm. NetApp now has the strong foundational technology it needs to continue its cloud storage infrastructure push."

With more than 250 StorageGRID customers worldwide, NetApp expands its position in key markets such as healthcare, digital media, Web 2.0, and cloud services providers. NetApp StorageGRID helps deliver boundless scalability, intelligent data management, and secure content retention, as well as always-on global data availability for enterprises and service providers that need to manage petabyte-scale globally distributed repositories of data.

• Boundless scalability. Customers can implement a new data management approach to help eliminate the constraints of their traditional storage and deliver a global, holistic repository.
• Intelligent data management and retention. StorageGRID provides customers with a global policy engine with built-in security that manages how data is stored, placed, protected, and retrieved.
• Global always-on data availability. Customers can achieve fast, reliable data availability anytime, anywhere, and nonstop operation from single data centers to multi data center deployments with many edge sites across the globe.

"Iron Mountain is pleased to see NetApp offering a new approach to storing, accessing, and intelligently managing files and application content," said Todd Koopersmith, vice president of Corporate Development for Iron Mountain, a provider of information management services and solutions for archiving, e-discovery, compliance and data protection. "Iron Mountain and NetApp together are delivering solutions that address the specific needs of customers in the healthcare, digital media, and cloud services markets to quickly respond to their changing business requirements and achieve greater operational efficiencies."

NetApp StorageGRID is available immediately in North America.