Cloud Storage Partnership: DataCore and TwinStrata

http://www.mspmentor.net/2011/10/05/cloud-storage-patnership-datacore-and-twinstrata/

DataCore Software and TwinStrata are connecting the dots between storage virtualization and cloud storage. Specifically, DataCore’s storage virtualization software will now come bundled with a free TwinStrata CloudArray virtual appliance. How do managed service providers potentially benifit? Here are some thoughts.

The new solution allows enterprises to optimize their on-site data and leverage a pay-as-you-go storage center in a cloud environment, the companies say. DataCore and TwinStrata have been strategic partners for a number of years, according to DataCore Director of Product Marketing Augie Gonzalez. And according to DataCore President, CEO and Co-Founder George Teixeira, the partnership with TwinStrata is really the secondary news here.

“This announcement is not so much about TwinStrata. The bigger picture is that DataCore has been focused on managing and tiering diverse devices,” explained Teixeira. “We are allowing the consumer to have hardware interchangeability. And on a higher level, our architecture lets you get the most out of each level and get better performance out of any device.”

According to Teixeira, the DataCore-TwinStrata solution will “feel” like you’re using on-premise iSCSI disks. But the storage will actually occur in a cloud provider of their choice. That means less critical tiered storage, data backups and archives that can grow on pay-as-you-go-tiers and savings when it comes to space, power, cooling, and ultimately, money, the companies claim.

“Our auto-tiering function lets you promote or demote the storage or data to whatever makes sense economically or whatever meets storage needs,” Teixeira continued. “The one thing that was missing was a low cost storage from a cloud provider that you can get pretty simply today as a pay-as-you-go storage model. So we’ve added a function.”

According to Gonzalez, DataCore reviewed more than 100 different cloud solutions on the market before deciding on TwinStrata’s CloudArray. “They have an outstanding engineering and support staff,” Gonzalez said. “MSPs are trying to offer a complete on-premise and off-premise cloud model. To do that today, they would have to go to a fragmented approach. We are bringing to market a uniform way to do this.”