IBM introduced a cloud storage toolkit for dynamically migrating data across multiple clouds.
IBM said its new software employs a “cloud-of-clouds” approach that invokes the resilience of separate clouds to offer stronger protection against service outages and data loss than any single cloud can deliver. Specifically, The toolkit uses an “object storage” interface that permits clients to drag and drop files to be backed up or shared on the cloud(s) of their choice — independent of the vendor. ICStore explicitly addresses space efficiency, data synchronization, and metadata coordination when storing data redundantly on object storage. Once a cloud fails, the back-up cloud immediately responds and ensures data availability — transparently to the user. No synchronization or communication among cloud clients is needed due to the innovative approach that adds redundancy and tolerates failures.
SoftLayer, an IBM Company, is the default storage provider and it provides the robust object-based interface. The combination of the toolkit and SoftLayer enables clients to overcome limits in their cloud storage capacity by dynamically routing to an alternative storage system—such as easily migrating from a remote public-cloud to on-premise private-cloud-optimizing the overall efficiency of data storage management.
“Our cloud-of-clouds invention can help clients avoid service outages and security incidents that impact the reliability and security of individual clouds,” said IBM Fellow Evangelos Eleftheriou. “We are adding multiple levels of redundancy and reliability by making cloud migration and backup easier and faster than is currently possible.”
