The new Web-scale object storage platform will extend on-prem EMC storage and backup applications into the cloud, and continue the trend of requiring the assistance of more channel partners than had been the case when Virtustream was acquired.

LAS VEGAS – Among its flurry of Day One announcements at EMC World, EMC pushed its enterprise cloud strategy forward with Virtustream Storage Cloud, a Web-scale cloud object storage platform which has also been designed to provide seamless cloud extensibility for on-premises EMC storage. The Storage Cloud also continues the broadening out of the Virtustream channel.

“The Virtustream Storage Cloud is really different and we are really excited about this,” said Rodney Rogers, Chief Executive Officer at Virtustream. “It is a hyperscale, multi-exabyte cloud storage platform that is well suited to the needs of service providers and larger enterprises, It also has automated tethers to on-prem EMC equipment devices, so it can provide easy cloud backup for on-premises EMC storage.”

That will include simple and efficient tiering, long-term backup retention, and cold storage in the cloud, with single-source EMC support. Rogers indicated that customers will be able to use it to connect to Data Domain, Isilon, EMC Data Protection Suite, VMAX, XtremIO and Unity – basically any EMC storage and backup solution – to have their data reside in a public cloud.

“We are creating automated tethers to the on-prem EMC equipment devices,” Rogers said. “The first set of appliance tethers will be ready this week – May 10 – and we will be releasing others throughout the third quarter.”

The launch of Virtustream Storage Cloud represents the latest expansion in capabilities for Virtustream, as part of EMC’s evolving enterprise cloud strategy. When Virtustream was acquired a year ago, it was an enterprise-class, mission-critical infrastructure-as-a-service platform, with an important channel, but one that was pretty much limited to service providers and large integrators. Since then, EMC has further developed its functionality, including the addition of a comprehensive set of managed services capabilities for both on- and off-prem implementations.

“This completes our cloud strategy,” said David Goulden, the Chief Executive Officer of EMC Information Infrastructure, who will run the Dell-EMC enterprise business once the acquisition has closed. “We think this is the most complete and powerful enterprise cloud strategy in the industry.”

Goulden stressed the importance of the Storage Cloud as part of this integrated strategy with EMC’s vast on-prem install base.

“Our first focus is integrating Virtustream Storage Cloud with our own storage and backup systems – making it a feature of our storage and backup systems,” he told the large assemblage of customers in his keynote. The next focus is [Pivotal] Cloud Foundry, because its apps will need persistent storage. These are two very clear focus areas for our new cloud.” In addition, customers soon will be able to deploy Web-scale object storage for cloud-native applications, leveraging a simple, S3-compatible application programming interface.

The Virtustream Storage Cloud has been designed to deliver up to 13 x 9s of data durability, and have been optimized for performance, particularly for large object sizes. Its available read-after-failure provides resiliency and data integrity even in the case of single site failure.

While the Storage Cloud continues the development of Virtustream’s functionality, it also continues the broadening out of Virtustream’s partner base and channel opportunities beyond the relatively limited set of large partners at the time of acquisition. The tethering with the on-prem EMC storage and backup will play a key role here.

“We will need help from our partners – resellers, integrators and managed service providers – Goulden said.