• The Four Hundred
  • Subscribe
  • Media Kit
  • Contributors
  • About Us
  • Contact
Menu
  • The Four Hundred
  • Subscribe
  • Media Kit
  • Contributors
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • IBM Unveils Local Storage Option for Cloud-Based Backup Service

    February 8, 2011 Alex Woodie

    IBM‘s Business Continuity and Resiliency Services (BCRS) is now providing local data recovery services with its cloud-based backup and recovery solution. The offering, which bears the unwieldy (yet IBM-esque) name “Information Protection Services – managed backup cloud – onsite data protection,” promises to keep customers’ data safe in a cloud infrastructure, while simplifying management and recovery tasks.

    According to the IBM United States Services Announcement 611-017 of January 25, the new Information Protection Services – managed backup cloud – onsite data protection service offering is a service that includes “disk and/or tape.” Customers have the option of utilizing shared cloud resources to store their backups offsite, or to get dedicated resources from BCRS.

    Regardless of whether their backups reside on dedicated or shared servers, customers are guaranteed that they will have access to 24×7 monitoring of their backups. They will also be provided a Web-based interface where they can add or delete the servers that are being backed up, and also run reports. IBM promises that no IBM intervention is required to initiate recoveries.

    Optional services available with Information Protection Services–managed backup cloud–onsite data protection service include: encryption; replication of data to a secondary site; recovery of replicated data at a secondary site; and shipping and recovering tape cartridges with third-party vaulting services.

    BCRS says it utilizes the Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) backup and recovery software to power backups of server operating systems, databases, applications, and file systems with this offering. Because the IBM i operating system is one of the OSes supported by TSM (as a client, but not as a controlling server, of course), one could draw the conclusion that IBM i infrastructures are supported by this offering.

    However, attempts to confirm this with IBM were not successful. The IBM product literature says it supports “most major formats” with this offering, which includes Oracle, SAP, Informix, DB2, Sybase, SQL Server, MS Exchange, and Lotus Notes formats. (The information on the website about this offering is, to say the least, a little “cloudy.”)

    IBM offers two other services within its Information Protection Services – managed backup cloud offering, including Fastprotect online, which is designed for protecting laptops and desktops; and “remote data protection,” which is designed for protecting geographically dispersed IT environments. For more information on this topic, check out IBM BCRS’ “managed backup cloud” web page at www-935.ibm.com/services/us/index.wss/offerfamily/bcrs/v935221a73552t93.



                         Post this story to del.icio.us
                   Post this story to Digg
        Post this story to Slashdot

    Share this:

    • Reddit
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Email

    Tags:

    Sponsored by
    UCG Technologies – Vault400

    Do the Math When Looking at IBM i Hosting for Cost Savings

    COVID-19 has accelerated certain business trends that were already gaining strength prior to the start of the pandemic. E-commerce, telehealth, and video conferencing are some of the most obvious examples. One example that may not be as obvious to the general public but has a profound impact on business is the shift in strategy of IBM i infrastructure from traditional, on-premises environments to some form of remote configuration. These remote configurations and all of their variations are broadly referred to in the community as IBM i hosting.

    “Hosting” in this context can mean different things to different people, and in general, hosting refers to one of two scenarios. In the first scenario, hosting can refer to a client owned machine that is housed in a co-location facility (commonly called a co-lo for short) where the data center provides traditional system administrator services, relieving the client of administrative and operational responsibilities. In the second scenario, hosting can refer to an MSP owned machine in which partition resources are provided to the client in an on-demand capacity. This scenario allows the client to completely outsource all aspects of Power Systems hardware and the IBM i operating system and database.

    The scenario that is best for each business depends on a number of factors and is largely up for debate. In most cases, pursuing hosting purely as a cost saving strategy is a dead end. Furthermore, when you consider all of the costs associated with maintaining and IBM i environment, it is typically not a cost-effective option for the small to midsize market. The most cost-effective approach for these organizations is often a combination of a client owned and maintained system (either on-prem or in a co-lo) with cloud backup and disaster-recovery-as-a-service. Only in some cases of larger enterprise companies can a hosting strategy start to become a potentially cost-effective option.

    However, cost savings is just one part of the story. As IBM i expertise becomes scarce and IT resources run tight, the only option for some firms may be to pursue hosting in some capacity. Whatever the driving force for pursing hosting may be, the key point is that it is not just simply an option for running your workload in a different location. There are many details to consider and it is to the best interest of the client to work with an experienced MSP in weighing the benefits and drawbacks of each option. As COVID-19 rolls on, time will tell if IBM i hosting strategies will follow the other strong business trends of the pandemic.

    When we say do the math in the title above, it literally means that you need to do the math for your particular scenario. It is not about us doing the math for you, making a case for either staying on premises or for moving to the cloud. There is not one answer, but just different levels of cost to be reckoned which yield different answers. Most IBM i shops have fairly static workloads, at least measured against the larger mix of stuff on the public clouds of the world. How do you measure the value of controlling your own IT fate? That will only be fully recognized at the moment when it is sorely missed the most.

    CONTINUE READING ARTICLE

    Please visit ucgtechnologies.com/IBM-POWER9-systems for more information.

    800.211.8798 | info@ucgtechnologies.com

    Article featured in IT Jungle on April 5, 2021

    Share this:

    • Reddit
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Email

    Sponsored Links

    ASNA:  Wings™: The faster, easier way to a better System i user interface
    New Generation Software:  BI comes in many flavors. Get info and FREE ice cream!
    COMMON:  Join us at the 2011 Conference & Expo, May 1 - 4 in Minneapolis, MN

    IT Jungle Store Top Book Picks

    BACK IN STOCK: Easy Steps to Internet Programming for System i: List Price, $49.95

    The iSeries Express Web Implementer's Guide: List Price, $49.95
    The iSeries Pocket Database Guide: List Price, $59
    The iSeries Pocket SQL Guide: List Price, $59
    The iSeries Pocket WebFacing Primer: List Price, $39
    Migrating to WebSphere Express for iSeries: List Price, $49
    Getting Started with WebSphere Express for iSeries: List Price, $49
    The All-Everything Operating System: List Price, $35
    The Best Joomla! Tutorial Ever!: List Price, $19.95

    Jack Henry Boosts Revenues, But Pushes Profits Up Faster in Q2 More Software Pricing Carrots for IBM i Shops

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Volume 11, Number 5 -- February 8, 2011
THIS ISSUE SPONSORED BY:

Help/Systems
looksoftware
Maxava
COMMON
RJS Software Systems

Table of Contents

  • Island Pacific Charts Its Own Path to Web 2.0 Independence
  • Remote Journaling: Friend or Foe in HA?
  • I-O Finds Success with Host Print Software for i and z
  • Lieberman Exposes Super-User Activity to SIEMs
  • ManH Takes the Guesswork out of Warehouse Management for Jeans-Maker
  • CLI Unveils Ubuntu-Based Thin Clients
  • McLeod Touts Big Jump in Sales of Trucking Software
  • Shoe Company Expands with IBM i ERP from CGS
  • Superior Bulk Logistics Taps UNIT4 CODA for Financials
  • IBM Unveils Local Storage Option for Cloud-Based Backup Service

Content archive

  • The Four Hundred
  • Four Hundred Stuff
  • Four Hundred Guru

Recent Posts

  • When Cloud Meets DevOps on IBM i
  • JD Edwards Roadmap Reveals Decisions To Be Made
  • IBM Completes Migration of Knowledge Center to IBM Documentation
  • Four Hundred Monitor, April 7
  • Crazy Idea Number 615: Variable Priced Power Systems Partitions
  • Do The Math When Looking at IBM i Hosting For Cost Savings
  • Guru: Web Services, DATA-INTO and DATA-GEN, Part 1
  • Oracle Versus Rimini Slogs On In Second Decade
  • HCI Is The Dominant Converged System, Probably For Good
  • Skytap To Expand IBM i Cloud Offering

Subscribe

To get news from IT Jungle sent to your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.

Pages

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Contributors
  • Four Hundred Monitor
  • IBM i PTF Guide
  • Media Kit
  • Subscribe

Search

Copyright © 2021 IT Jungle

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.