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    Moonwalk Universal Aims to Automate File Management

    Just about every storage vendor offers some form of a tool that makes it possible to move files from one tier of storage to another. The challenge IT organizations often now face is that they have multiple file systems running on-premises and in the cloud. Each of those file systems comes with its own suite of data management tools.

    Moonwalk Universal is making the case for simplifying that process via the inclusion of policy management software spanning multiple file systems that is now included in version 12 of the company’s Moonwalk data protection and management software.

    Michael Harvey, vice president of business development for Moonwalk Universal, says it makes use of metadata generated by multiple types of files to determine when and where to migrate those files based on policies defined by the IT organization. Those policies can be based on specific projects, as well as the location, user, size, name, or age of the files. The goal, says Harvey, is to help IT departments to identify inactive files that can be redeployed on less expensive forms of secondary storage available on-premises or in the cloud.

    “Inactive files can wind up accounting for 50 percent of the total cost of ownership (TCO) in many organizations,” says Harvey.

    Harvey says Moonwalk 12 is unique because it doesn’t require a separate data server. File systems such as Windows 2016, NetApp 9.1 and OES2015, Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Hitachi HCP, Dell EMC ECS, IBM Bluemix/COS, IBM Spectrum Scale, Scality, Concurrent Aquari, and Caringo Swarm are all supported natively. Moonwalk Universal is also making available a REST application programming interface (API) through which IT organizations can also programmatically invoke Moonwalk 12.

    MoonwalkUniversal

    Most IT organizations today are under pressure to uncover savings that can then be reapplied to drive new initiatives. Given the massive amounts of data many organizations now generate, it stands to reason that a more efficient way to manage files would be a good place to look for those savings. After all, most IT organizations historically have not been especially efficient at managing storage because all too often it was simply easier to throw additional hardware at the problem. The issue is that the cost of all that hardware is now adding up, limiting the amount of funds available to drive development of additional innovative applications.

     

    Mike Vizard
    Mike Vizard
    Michael Vizard is a seasoned IT journalist, with nearly 30 years of experience writing and editing about enterprise IT issues. He is a contributor to publications including Programmableweb, IT Business Edge, CIOinsight and UBM Tech. He formerly was editorial director for Ziff-Davis Enterprise, where he launched the company’s custom content division, and has also served as editor in chief for CRN and InfoWorld. He also has held editorial positions at PC Week, Computerworld and Digital Review.

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