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@VM.MARIST.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@VM.MARIST.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 >