HP, Sun Offer Hitachi's Newest Enterprise Array

On Monday HDS, of Santa Clara, Calif., unveiled its Network Storage Controller model NSC55, a scaled-down version of the TagmaStore Universal Storage Platform introduced last September.

The NSC55, which several solution providers have dubbed the "Mini Tagma," manages up to 16 Petabytes of internal and externally attached storage, including customers' existing multivendor arrays. The rack-mount array includes up to 32 controllers and a global cache to help ensure data availability and array performance even in the face of multiple controller failures. Pricing starts at about $150,000 -- about one-third that of the original TagmaStore. It is expected to ship in August.

Sun, which resells HDS' high-end storage line, will roll out the NSC55 as its StorEdge 9985 -- replacing Sun's model 9970. Sun will continue to sell the StorEdge 9900, its version of HDS' TagmaStore. The company will offer the 9985 through its own salesfore and its iForce partners.

HP on Monday said it will offer the HDS NSC55 as its new StorageWorks XP10000 Disk Array. Unlike Sun, HP is an OEM of HDS' high-end arrays. As a result, the Palo Alto, Calif., vendor includes extra HP clustering, disaster tolerant and fast-recovery software.

Hu Yoshida, CTO of HDS, said the NSC55 is designed for small and midsize enterprises. "It will change the expectations of midrange customers," Yoshida said. "They will be able to enjoy the same enterprise functions in a nonenterprise environment."