TeraCloud Builds A Bridge Between PlatformsTeraCloud Builds A Bridge Between Platforms

At many companies, there's still a disconnect between mainframes and other platforms, a situation that can lead to high costs and, worse, lost data.

Mainframes are "supposed to be obsolete, but the PC network still isn't ready to take over the mainframe operation," says Chris Sultis, senior production analyst for storage space and tape management at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama in Birmingham, Ala.

Sultis expects two things to bridge the disconnect at Blue Cross Blue Shield. First, a reorganization will put its PC, Unix, and mainframe staffers in the same group. Then, the company will adopt a software tool that helps keep data safe while working with all the platforms. TeraCloud Corp.'s SpaceNet, which ships this week, is a storage-resource management product that supports IBM's z/OS, Linux, Unix, Windows NT, and Windows 2000 mainframes. The software is designed to help IT administrators make efficient use of storage resources and eliminate the need for unnecessary systems that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"I could check the capacity of 36 units in three or four hours. TeraCloud lets me do the same thing in a few minutes," Sultis says.

SpaceNet also will give Sultis more information about storage across platforms: Administrators get file-level access to storage resources, data on user activity on altered files or nearly overloaded servers, and the ability to create policies that trigger when capacity levels or access volumes are reached. SpaceNet costs $50,000 for every terabyte of data managed.

Dave Hill, an analyst at Aberdeen Group, says the software provides needed information, such as how storage is growing, how's it being used, and what files really need to be backed up every night. Says Hill, "For too many companies, a lot of useless files just keep spinning around the cycle."