- EMC (EMC -1.3%) has acquired TwinStrata, developer of a software platform (called CloudArray) that creates a secure connection between on-premise storage and public cloud storage providers, and allows the resources to be jointly managed. Terms are undisclosed.
- Among other things, CloudArray supports automatic cloud replication, local caching for high-use data, and integration with 3rd-party backup software. Supported cloud providers include Amazon, Google, Rackspace, and IBM/SoftLayer.
- A July 2013 Network World review called CloudArray "something of a milestone" for on-premise/cloud storage connectivity, albeit while adding the product still "needs polish."
- EMC says it'll integrate CloudArray with its high-end VMAX systems, and thereby provide an "embedded [cloud] data service" for VMAX. The move comes as rival NetApp overhauls its Data ONTAP OS to support joint on-premise/cloud storage management.
- EMC has been busy fleshing out its software lineup amid soft hardware sales. Last year, the company rolled out its ViPR storage management software platform, which can handle both EMC and non-EMC systems, and acquired ScaleIO, a developer of software that can pool and manage storage scattered across commodity servers.