Data Dynamics broadens channel opportunities with StorageX 8.0 file management solution

The enhancements to the Data Dynamics solution include the addition of S3 support and improved API availability.

Cuong Le, Data Dynamics’ Vice President of Marketing

Teaneck N.J.-based Data Dynamics has released the new 8.0 version of their StorageX file management solution. The new version’s capabilities expand channel partner opportunities with greater intelligence and other enhancements that broaden use cases for the solution

“We started out as a data migration company, and we competed against those, but we have moved into the data management space, where there are so many different players and they keep popping up,” said Cuong Le, Data Dynamics’ Vice President of Marketing. “24 of the Fortune 100 use us. Of the world’s 12 largest banks, six  use us.”

Their file management solution was orginally NuView, which Brocade acquired in 2006 and which Data Dynamics acquired from Brocade five years ago. They have since updated and built on top of it extensively.

“File management’s value tends to get trapped in siloes so that it becomes burdensome,” Le said. “StorageX 8.0 lets you execute a dynamic cloud management story, making sure files are available to you where you need them when you need them, and this version expands its capabilities with the addition of S3 support, and the broadening out of API support so you can integrate it into the enterprise.”

Le indicated these things are important for channel partners to create value-add capabilities because moving data itself is now just a commodity service.

“It’s high risk, low reward and customers don’t want to pay for it,” he said. “We reduce the cost, but also create opportunities for channel partners. The channel partner can respond to new use cases by taking StorageX and integrating it into service management.”

Version 8.0 adds a new analysis portal that better enables users to have a single view of data across what had been siloes before.

“The analysis portal providers a lot of new intelligence that shows all the files,” Le said. “Before, we had a CLI tool that did a one-time scan, and it was static. The portal is dynamic, and in its own database. It shows everything that you have, including stuff that hasn’t been touched and is sitting on expensive storage.”

It also includes custom tags, metadata support and metrics-based analysis, to drive business processes for new IBM Cloud Object Storage, NetApp StorageGRID and S3-compliant object storage. It operates across all storage technology types (NAS, File, DFS and Object) using industry standards (NFS, SMB/CIFS, S3) for automated data and file migration.

“It’s based on specific insight, rather than an intuitive feeling that it’s just time to replace an old system,” Le said. “Metrics from the analytics provide the case for that.”

Version 8.0 also adds support for S3-compliant object storage by transforming files into native a S3 storage format, as well as the ability to support dev/ops projects with efficiency-providing APIs for storage management automation and orchestration.

“All businesses look for advantages,” Le said. “This improves dev/ops capability by giving the ability with the APIs to pull data from number of different resources. Our data from our customers shows a significant increase in agility and a 10x improvement in productivity. It also allows partners to increase offerings and provide higher value offerings.

The S3 support adds S3 buckets to the display.

“The customer always owns the data and has direct access to it,” Le said. “That’s a real key differentiator. They are in control.”

Data Dynamics is at the NetApp INSIGHT event, Booth 202, where they are demonstrating the new release.