IBM storage keeps tape alive and kicking

The IBM XIV Storage System was developed using technology acquired through the purchase of the company XIV.

According to an IBM statement, it is an entirely new, scalable, disk system, designed to handle data from diverse sources, "from Web 2.0 to traditional applications, such as financial services".

The product was one of many unveiled by IBM on Monday, when it made one of the biggest storage announcements in its history. The announcement was the result of a £1bn investment by the company, with much of the funds spent on buying smaller, specialist storage suppliers.

Andy Monshaw, general manager of IBM system storage, said of the announcement: "There is no bigger opportunity for [companies] than to unlock the value they have in their datacentres and... create smart, innovative offerings for their end users."

Size was certainly a theme of the announcement, with IBM rolling out some of the highest-capacity storage offerings in its history, along with a range of new features.