As an appliance, I call that Hardware, as in it's a device outside of the
host getting the service, performing the service.  I can also see why you
call it Software - it is running on a General Purpose processor, etc.
You're right on with the fact that they're specifically architected to do
exactly what they do, and to perform that function as well as they can.

The DeDupe coming in TSM will be good enough for some customers, and no
where close to adequate for others.  Same thing with tape management,
reporting, encryption, an just about every other feature.  As usual in the
IT world, you have to evaluate needs, see what's out there, and decide what
is the best solution for your environment.  One size definitely doesn't fit
all.

Or, as my dad likes to say, "If it was easy, they wouldn't call it 'work'!"

Nick Cassimatis

----- Forwarded by Nicholas Cassimatis/Raleigh/IBM on 04/17/2008 04:02 PM
-----

"ADSM: Dist Stor Manager" <ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU> wrote on 04/17/2008
02:29:00 PM:

> [image removed]
>
> Re: Fw: TSM being abandoned?
>
> Curtis Preston
>
> to:
>
> ADSM-L
>
> 04/17/2008 02:34 PM
>
> Sent by:
>
> "ADSM: Dist Stor Manager" <ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU>
>
> Please respond to "ADSM: Dist Stor Manager"
>
> To my knowledge, almost all (if not ALL) the VTLs/IDTs are just Linux
> kernels running tape emulation and dedupe software inside a server.  So
> I don't really see this as a software vs hardware debate, as it's really
> all software. It's more along the lines of design goals and
> single-mindedness.  VTL vendors knew they had to run at 100s or 1000s of
> MB/s, so that's what they designed for -- and they had to bet big or go
> home.  The backup software dedupe products, OTOH, were designed mainly
> to back up remote offices, which has very different design goals.  In
> addition, they had many other products to get right as well.
>
> ---
> W. Curtis Preston
> Backup Blog @ www.backupcentral.com
> VP Data Protection, GlassHouse Technologies
>