Stories by Lucas Mearian

Backing Up the Edge

Thanks to remote data replication and disk-based backup technologies, the data center is reasserting control over branch-office backups.

NYSE to upgrade, expand e-trading

The New York Stock Exchange last week announced a plan to expand its use of computer-based trading in an attempt to better compete against all-electronic rivals like Nasdaq Stock Market and Archipelago Holdings.

Zurich Financial outsources app development to CSC

Zurich Financial Services, one of the world's largest insurers, has signed a US$1.3 billion, 7-year outsourcing agreement with CSC to hand off new application development and the management of more than 4,000 existing applications.

EMC reports double-digit growth in Q2

EMC this week reported double-digit revenue growth during its second quarter across almost all of its product lines, from storage systems and software to services. While the results met analyst expectations, some experts said EMC should be wary about losing sales in its core product, the high-end Symmetrix storage array.

EMC releases upgraded ControlCenter

EMC Monday announced the latest version of its flagship storage management software, which it said offers "more complete support" for competing products such as arrays from Hewlett-Packard (HP), Hitachi Data Systems and IBM, as well as Linux servers.

Trumping tape

Massive arrays of idle disks are giving a boost to disk-based backup systems, which could replace tape libraries for some applications. Lucas Mearian reports.

EMC gives in to tape

For the first time in its history, EMC has decided to offer an enterprise-class tape library as part of its product line and will begin reselling Advanced Digital Information's tape libraries next month.

EMC packages Centera with software, services

EMC on Monday announced three technology bundles that combine its Centera fixed-data disk array with software and technical services for storing e-mail and documents to support regulatory compliance initiatives.

Trumping tape

In the ongoing struggle to automate and speed data backups and restores, storage administrators are increasingly turning to Advanced Technology Attachment disk subsystems. Now two vendors are pitching the idea of using specialized ATA disk backup appliances as an alternative to robotic tape autoloaders for handling large volumes of archival storage. Both are using specialized ATA disk array technology to lower the cost per gigabyte of disk-based storage and extend the life of backup disk drives, making them more attractive for archival and near-line storage.

Microsoft execs fire back at NetApp comments

In a recent interview, Network Appliance CEO Dan Warmenhoven claimed that Microsoft's Windows Storage Server 2003 NAS platform was no competition because it's a low-end product. Microsoft asked for a chance to rebut that view and talk about the company's storage road map. Below are excerpts from a Computerworld interview with Yuval Neeman, corporate vice president for storage and platform solutions, and Marcus Schmidt, senior product manager for Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2003.

NetApp CEO on earnings, competition

Network Appliance recently posted fourth-quarter and year-end financial results showing a 39 percent increase in quarterly earnings over the same period last year -- and a 31 percent increase over 2003 as a whole. NetApp CEO Dan Warmenhoven spoke with Computerworld about the company's financial results, the competition from vendors embracing the Windows Storage Server 2003 NAS operating system and when the company's global distributed files system would be ready.

Rising from disaster

One key to keeping your business on its feet in a disaster is anticipating the sometimes cascading effects a catastrophe can have on your IT operation.

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