IBM Storwize Software V7.2.0

IBM Storwize Family Software V7.2 provides software-defined storage capabilities across a variety of platforms including SVC, Storwize V7000 (Unified), Flex System V7000, Storwize V5000, and Storwize V3700 and V3500.

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

Centralizing management of storage volumes, enabling administrators to manage storage volumes from a single point
Improving utilization of storage capacity with virtual volumes, enabling 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 the 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 that use SSDs with Easy Tier
Restoring data access quickly with near and remote copy capabilities across FC, FCoE, and IP networks

V7.2 introduces replication over IP networks that is easy to configure in existing IP infrastructures. This is a lower-cost alternative to the FC-based and FCoE-based replication, eliminating the need for FCIP routers and dark fibre. By placing the IP replication function in the Storwize Family Software, server CPU and management overhead is freed up, and a single point of replication control is available for all server types. This release also includes SAS migration capability for the Storwize V5000, V3700 and V3500.

Enhanced stretched cluster for SVC optimizes inter-site networking and enables planned site failover. Remote mirroring and VMware environments will benefit from support for VMware 5.5 and being a provider for the vSphere API for Storage Awareness (VASA).

Software requirements

SVC V7.2 (5641-VC7 and 5641-CP7) has the same software prerequisites as IBM SVC V7.1.
Storwize V7000 V7.2 (5639-VM7, 5639-EV7, 5639-RM7, and 5639-CP7) has the same software prerequisites as Storwize V7000 V7.1.
Flex System V7000 V7.2 (5639-NZ7, 5639-EX7, 5639-RE7, and 5639-CM7) has the same software prerequisites as Flex System V7000 V7.1.
Storwize V5000 V7.2 (5639-ST7) has the same software prerequisites as Storwize V5000 V7.1.

Hardware requirements

Storwize Family Software for SVC requires at least one pair of System Storage SVC 2145-CG8, 2145-CF8, 2145-8A4, 2145-8G4, 2145-8F4, or 2145-8F2 storage engines with dual uninterruptible power supplies for installation.
Storwize Family Software for Storwize V7000 requires at least one Storwize V7000 Control Enclosure (2076-112, 2076-124, 2076-312, or 2076-324) for installation.
Storwize Family Software for Flex System V7000 requires at least one Flex System V7000 (4939-A49, 4939-H49, or 4939-X49) Control Enclosure for installation.
Storwize Family Software for Storwize V5000 requires at least one Storwize V5000 control enclosure (2077-12C, 2077-24C, 2078-12C, or 2078-24C) for installation.

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

Planned availability date
November 29, 2013