Features - Enterprise Data Insights:

PAPSTAR REDUCES STO MGMT COSTS WITH DataCore SANsymphony SW

DataCore Software, a leading provider of enterprise-class, open-storage networking software, recently announced that it has added PAPSTAR, a German distribution and services provider, to its ever-expanding global customer base. The European provider of paper products, disposable tableware, decorative products, packaging and hygiene items chose to implement a storage area network (SAN) based on DataCore's solution, after consulting with one of DataCore's channel partners, Systemhaus Schelle. Due to the centralization and automation of storage administration, PAPSTAR benefits from simplified management and a long-term reduction in IT operating costs.

SANsymphony software, a critical part of PAPSTAR's company-wide complete storage solution, creates a centralized, and easily and cost-effectively manageable storage pool from all storage resources in the network. In addition to high performance and state-of-the-art data replication technologies, SANsymphony software ensures the optimum utilization of existing resources and easy integration of new storage volumes. Both the powerful tools for simplified and non-disruptive storage upgrades and the increased speed of access to stored data were, among other reasons, decisive factors in PAPSTAR's selection of DataCore's storage solution.

"Apart from the improvements in data security, the introduction of the highly available SAN solution has led to many administrative advantages," says Dietmar Hensch, IT representative at PAPSTAR. "In addition, we will profit from a medium-term reduction in IT expenses and investment protection for past and future purchases, since the existing storage infrastructure can be integrated and expanded without any manufacturer-related restrictions."

In the PAPSTAR data center, SANsymphony runs on two dedicated and redundant Storage Domain controllers using Fujitsu Siemens Computer Primergy P250 servers, which handle the entire data traffic across the SAN. The data is stored on new high-performance FibreCat S80 storage systems by Fujitsu Siemens Computer and an existing EMC Clariion disk array. The SAN switches are from Brocade. The redundant data storage made possible by SANsymphony and the establishment of a second server site ensure continuous access to all critical data in the event of failures or disorders in the main data center. The failure of individual systems can also be absorbed in this way. SANsymphony software centrally and automatically allocates storage resources from the SAN to support mission-critical applications. The heterogeneous application servers installed at PAPSTAR are running on Novell Netware, Linux and Windows NT/2000. An AIX Server with an Oracle database, Exchange Server and Veritas Netbackup are also integrated into the storage network.

"In times of shrinking IT budgets and continuously increasing data quantities, more than ever, our customers are demanding a storage solution that offers optimum price/performance, high performance and fault tolerance," says Uwe Kramer, general manager at Schelle GmbH. "PAPSTAR's decision to choose SANsymphony software demonstrates that DataCore's storage management solution fulfils these requirements in each and every aspect."