Software for Virtualized Mainframe Environment on EMC Symmetrix VMAX

Summary:

• EMC introduced new mainframe software capabilities for its Symmetrix VMAX systems, further extending its leading support of virtual server environments.
• EMC AutoSwap software now supports z/VM environments with the new EMC Geographically Dispersed Disaster Restart (GDDR) AutoSwap for z/VM capability, the most comprehensive mainframe business continuity solution available.
• New EMC GDDR AutoSwap for z/VM protects data and ensures continuous availability by automatically swapping operations in virtualized Linux on IBM System z environments to a secondary site in the event of a planned or unplanned disruption.
• New EMC GDDR AutoSwap for z/VM is the latest mainframe capability for the market leading EMC Symmetrix VMAX system, designed to provide powerful and smart virtual data center storage, and builds upon more than 20 years of mainframe storage expertise.

EMC Corporation introduced new software for its Symmetrix VMAX family of storage systems, extending its virtual data center and cloud storage capabilities.  

A new version of EMC AutoSwap software, with support for z/VM environments, was unveiled at the SHARE mainframe user event in Orlando, Florida, expanding Symmetrix VMAX-based solutions for all of the major virtual machine operating systems.

The new EMC GDDR (Geographically Dispersed Disaster Restart) AutoSwap for z/VM software is a solution for continuous availability and improved protection for virtualized mainframe environments. It enables mainframe environments running the z/VM operating system to automatically swap operations between two Symmetrix VMAX storage systems in the event of a disruption for continuous application availability and data protection and to meet strict governance, risk and compliance mandates.

Compliance requirements for business continuity are increasing around the globe and GDDR and GDDR/AutoSwap are being deployed in order to meet these requirements. In the event of a planned or unplanned disruption, EMC GDDR AutoSwap for z/VM works with EMC SRDF (Symmetrix Remote Data Facility) software to simplify and automate failover of the entire mainframe workloads to a remote site for the highest levels of data and application availability and disaster recovery capabilities.    

EMC has a multi-year technology licensing agreement with IBM, enabling EMC to deliver a range of storage capabilities to support System z  and provide mainframe environments with the same storage features that EMC offers for virtualized open systems platforms.

"With mainframe environments supporting massive numbers of virtual servers, workloads and users, availability becomes an even more pressing issue for IT managers. EMC is adding to its long list of mainframe storage capabilities with EMC GDDR AutoSwap for z/VM. This technology greatly simplifies and automates key processes required for a fail over to a secondary site, and is becoming an essential capability for mainframe administrators," said Ben Woo, Vice President Storage & Big Data, IDC.

"Symmetrix VMAX is purpose-built for the virtual data center. Whether it is VMware, Hyper-V or z/VM, the Symmetrix VMAX family provides the most trusted and powerful set of capabilities for virtualized environments.  In addition, Symmetrix has also supported mission-critical mainframe workloads in industries like banking and financial services for more than two decades. EMC GDDR AutoSwap for z/VM extends our mainframe solutions and  helps our customers make their virtual data centers more resilient and meet their governance, risk and compliance objectives," said Brian Gallagher, President, Enterprise Storage Division, EMC.