Lagos, Nigeria – June 7, 2024 – Tech giant IBM, in collaboration with leading distributor TD Africa and value-added reseller Tenece, hosted a technology showcase on June 7th at the Radisson Blu Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos. The event, titled “IBM Flash Storage Systems and Fusion HCI,” aimed to educate customers on IBM’s latest data storage solutions designed to simplify management and empower businesses for the future.
Unveiling IBM’s Flash Storage Systems
Damian Anurunkem, the event host, welcomed guests and introduced key representatives from IBM, Tenece, and TD Africa. Jane Udoh, representing Tenece Lagos, delivered the opening address, highlighting the value proposition of IBM’s storage solutions.
Taking centre stage, Adeniyi Oluwole, IBM’s Technical Specialist for Storage, provided a detailed explanation of the functionalities of IBM Flash storage systems. “These next-generation systems, including IBM Storage Virtualize and IBM’s Storage Insights, offer unmatched resilience, performance, and efficiency,” explained Oluwole. “They are cloud-enabled and designed for the evolving needs of modern businesses.”
The presentation showcased the IBM FlashSystem product line, encompassing FlashSystem 5200, 7300, and 9500. Each system offers a scalable capacity and performance profile, with the 9500 boasting double the capacity and performance of its predecessor, the 7300.
Key Features of IBM FlashSystem Series
- FlashSystem 5200: 1U chassis, 12 drives, 1.1 PBe usable capacity, up to 300k IOPS, 21GB/s bandwidth, built-in ransomware threat detection (RTD).
- FlashSystem 7300: 2U chassis, 24 drives, 2.3 PBe usable capacity, up to 580k IOPS, 50GB/s bandwidth, supports clustering and multi-drive configurations, offers ransomware threat detection.
- FlashSystem 9500: 4U chassis, 48 drives, 4.5 PBe usable capacity, up to 1.6M IOPS, 100GB/s bandwidth, delivers 99.9999% uptime, features hardware-based compression and encryption, and supports multi-drive type configurations.
Oluwole emphasized the real-time ransomware detection capabilities of the FlashSystem series. “By analyzing data as it’s written to storage, organizations can identify and mitigate ransomware threats much faster than traditional post-attack data backup analysis,” he stated.
Embracing the Hybrid Cloud Landscape
Oluwole also addressed the growing prominence of hybrid cloud deployments. “By 2025, it’s estimated that 95% of new enterprise applications will be cloud-native,” he noted. “Successful hybrid cloud adoption requires a strategic approach focused on business transformation, not just technology implementation.”
He further highlighted the benefits of a full-hybrid, multi-cloud platform, emphasizing a potential 2.5x increase in value compared to traditional IT infrastructure.
Introducing IBM Storage Fusion
The event also explored the capabilities of IBM Storage Fusion, a solution designed specifically for seamless integration with OpenShift, a leading container orchestration platform. Oluwole outlined the key features of Storage Fusion:
- Consistent Application Data Services: Offers unified data services across various environments.
- OpenShift Integration: Integrates seamlessly with OpenShift for a streamlined user experience.
- Platform Agnostic: Runs on any platform where OpenShift operates.
- Application Support: Supports the deployment and management of any OpenShift application.
- Data Persistence, Resilience, Security, and Mobility: Ensures data availability, protection, and easy movement across environments.
- Data Cataloguing: Simplifies data discovery and analysis for efficient business insights.
IBM Storage Fusion HCI System: Simplifying OpenShift Deployment
Oluwole concluded his presentation by showcasing the IBM Storage Fusion HCI System, a comprehensive solution integrating OpenShift Container Orchestration and data services. “This system empowers businesses to unlock the full potential of OpenShift, simplifying deployment, enhancing performance, and optimizing scalability, management, and security,” he stated.
The event concluded with a lively Q&A session, allowing attendees to delve into IBM’s Flash storage solutions and their potential benefits. Guests also enjoyed networking opportunities and a catered lunch.
