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January 27, 2003—In this issue:
1. COMMENTARY
- Linux Plays in the Storage Arena
2. NEWS AND VIEWS
- Snap Appliance Releases First Product
- HP and Microsoft Promote Storage
3. ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Catch the Microsoft Mobility Tour—Time Is Running Out!
- Windows Scripting Solutions for the Systems Administrator
4. RESOURCES
- Backup Problems for Exchange on ARCserve
5. NEW AND IMPROVED
- Copy Complete Hard Disks or Selected Partitions
- Integrate Antivirus Capability with Your NAS Appliance
- Submit Top Product Ideas
6. CONTACT US
See this section for a list of ways to contact us.
1. COMMENTARY
(contributed by Elliot King, [email protected])
Last week's Linux World Conference & Expo provided another opportunity for Linux to emerge as a mainstream corporate computing option. However, the elite of mainstream technology providers still overshadowed the open-source evangelists who hold fast to the mantra that software "wants to be free." Keynote speakers included representatives from IBM and Dell. The Enterprise Solutions Center was staffed with representatives from Hewlett Packard (HP), NEC, Intel, Oracle, Sybase, and personnel from high-profile open-source projects (e.g., the communication protocol Samba, the Web server Apache, the email program SendMail).
Linux initially gained attention as an OS server for noncrucial applications (primarily Web serving); however, its suitability as an OS for all computing applications—from handheld devices to data center platforms—is widely debated. Several large-scale projects are exploring Linux's suitability as an enterprise-class platform. A case in point is the Beowulf Project, which is geared toward generating supercomputer performance from commodity computer components running Linux.
The question is no longer whether Linux will find a place in enterprise computing but rather how big its role will be and how quickly Linux will fill it. The buzz at Linux World was that Microsoft has dropped its campaign to discredit Linux and open-source software in general. Microsoft now views Linux as an important fixture in the competitive landscape. That view is correct: Market research company IDC projects that Linux will enjoy a compound annual growth rate of 28 percent through the year 2006. IDC researchers believe that Linux will make gains as both a server and a client operating environment.
Although most media hype about Linux usually focuses on the threat it poses to Windows, Linux's gains have actually come at the expense of UNIX, the OS on which Linux is based. Linux will probably affect the storage market in two ways. First, Linux will replace UNIX in Storage Area Networks (SANs). Second, Linux's growth will stimulate the creation of new storage technologies designed to maximize large computer cluster performance.
According to IDC, currently, 28 percent of UNIX storage occurs on SANs, as compared to 8.5 percent of Linux storage. IDC predicts that over the next 4 years, the value of Linux-deployed SANs will grow sixfold, from a baseline of $58 million in 2001. Moreover, major storage vendors, including Brocade, EMC, HP, IBM, and VERITAS Software, have released Linux-based products.
Despite Linux's gains, many analysts agree that Linux kernel 2.4, the current version, has serious storage shortcomings. Matthew O'Keefe, founder and chief technology officer (CTO) of Sistina Software, believes Linux is limited to 2TB of storage per device and thus per file system. According to O'Keefe, to compete at the high end of the storage spectrum, Linux deployments need to resolve this storage limitation.
A number of storage vendors, including Sistina Software, offer a solution that creates a storage cluster that consists of a SAN, shared storage devices, a cluster file system, and volume manager running on the servers that are integrated into the cluster. A cluster file system lets any server read or write any file on the shared file store. You can map the single, shared cluster file system onto the shared storage hardware to create a scalable, manageable storage pool for all the servers. You can add new servers and new storage devices to the storage cluster without going offline.
Vendors created the cluster file system approach to take advantage of the added computing muscle that clustered computing solutions offer. In the future, the cluster file system approach could be key in enabling Linux to claim a role in the data center, running large-scale crucial applications.
For a decade, Bill Gates has had a vision of the Windows OS running everything—from your handheld device to the data center. Linux proponents hold a similar vision. How successfully the open-source community and its allies can realize that vision depends in part on how effectively they mitigate open-source software's storage limitations.
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2. NEWS AND VIEWS
(contributed by Keith Furman, [email protected])
Snap Appliance is officially launching this month. Quantum's decision to spin off its Network Attached Storage (NAS) assets last October triggered the formation of Snap Appliance. The spin-off lets Quantum focus exclusively on data protection. The new company's assets include Quantum's Snap Server and Guardian product families. Snap Appliance's launch will include updated products, new branding, and a new marketing campaign.
The company has released an updated version of its Snap Server 4400 model (see the New and Improved section, below). Snap Appliance has also updated its GuardianOS Network Attached Storage (NAS) OSs to increase security and functionality. The OS will now also include an embedded version of Computer Associates' (CA's) eTrust antivirus software. The new products and OS enhancements with antivirus capability are now available. Existing GuardianOS users can download a free upgrade from Snap Appliance's Web site.
Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Microsoft announced plans to expand the market for HP StorageWorks and Microsoft Windows Powered NAS solutions. The new strategic initiative lets the two companies work together to increase sales of their solutions for the Network Attached Storage (NAS) marketplace. According to industry research firm Gartner Dataquest, the worldwide NAS market is worth $1.8 billion.
Microsoft has recently been investing more and more resources into the storage market, including the creating of an Enterprise Storage Division. The company claims its NAS software currently has a 30 percent market share in the NAS market. A major goal of the joint effort by the companies is promoting server consolidation with the use of HP and Microsoft NAS products.
The first part of the initiative will include a storage road show this spring, which Windows & .NET Magazine is producing and both HP and Microsoft are participating. Both companies plan additional marketing events as well as training, sales tools, blueprints, and case studies in the future.
http://www.hp.com/go/windowspowerednas
3. ANNOUNCEMENTS
(brought to you by Windows & .NET Magazine and its partners)
This outstanding seven-city event will help you support your growing mobile workforce. Industry guru Paul Thurrott discusses the coolest mobility hardware solutions around, demonstrates how to increase the productivity of your "road warriors" with the unique features of Windows XP and Office XP, and much more. You could also win an HP iPAQ Pocket PC. There is no charge for these live events, but space is limited, so register today! Sponsored by Microsoft, HP, and Toshiba.
You might not be a programmer, but that doesn't mean you can't learn to create and deploy timesaving, problem-solving scripts. Discover Windows Scripting Solutions, the monthly print publication that helps you tackle common problems and automate everyday tasks with simple tools, tricks, and scripts. Try a sample issue today.
4. RESOURCES
Forum member "Trippy" is encountering problems when using Computer Associates' (CA's) BrightStor ARCserve to back up his Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server database. Either only some of the mailboxes are backed up or none are backed up, and he receives an error that reads, "warning not enough space in cache buffer for 64K data." To lend Trippy a helping hand, click on the following link:
http://www.winnetmag.com/forums/rd.cfm?cid=46&tid=52800
5. NEW AND IMPROVED
(contributed by Carolyn Mader, [email protected])
NovaStor released InstantRecovery 4.0, disaster-recovery software that lets you copy complete hard disks or selected partitions to any media type, including CD-R/CD-RW, tape, hard disk, and other removable media. You can create and access hard disk images over the network on a server or through a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device. InstantRecovery is available in two editions: InstantRecovery Personal Edition, $44.95, works with directly attached storage devices; InstantRecovery Professional Edition, $99.95, communicates with network storage such as servers and NAS devices. Contact NovaStor at 805-579-6700.
http://www.novastor.com
Snap Appliance announced Snap Server 4400, a Network Attached Storage (NAS) product line that integrates antivirus software. The Snap Server 4400 features a storage capacity of 720GB. Other features include hot-swappable hard disks and dual Gigabit Ethernet ports in a high-density 1U (1.75") rack-mount form. Contact Snap Appliance at 408-558-4654 or 888-343-7627.
http://www.snapappliance.com
Have you used a product that changed your IT experience by saving you time or easing your daily burden? Do you know of a terrific product that others should know about? Tell us! We want to write about the product in a future What's Hot column. Send your product suggestions to [email protected].
6. CONTACT US
Here's how to reach us with your comments and questions:
- ABOUT THE COMMENTARY – [email protected]
- ABOUT THE NEWSLETTER IN GENERAL — [email protected]
(please mention the newsletter name in the subject line) - TECHNICAL QUESTIONS — http://www.winnetmag.com/forums
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