HP is introducing a SAN storage virtualisation platform, using LSI software, to combine mid-range HP and third-party drive arrays into a single pool of storage.

HP's SAN Virtualisation Services Platform (SVSP) mimics IBM's SAN Volume Controller (SVC) in being a Fibre Channel (FC) fabric-attached controller. It can aggregate HP MSA and EVA arrays, but not HP's high-end XP arrays, into one virtual storage pool and include selected but so far unspecified third-party arrays in the pool.

HP's XP arrays, OEM'd from Hitachi Data Systems, can also virtualise third-party arrays, using an intelligent controller located at the edge of a FC fabric. HDS USP arrays have the same functionality. NetApp' V-series have similar functionality. EMC's InVista is a SAN storage virtualisation product that runs inside a fabric director. The company does not have virtualising storage array controllers that can include non-EMC storage in the virtual storage pool.

The SVSP will be available in December. No pricing information is available. ®

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