StorageConsole provides for the Enterprise a Web-based management and reporting console offering visibility into the organization's current backup posture and performance. The platform consists of three primary components: The StorageConsole itself, which provides the Web portal interface used to access and manage the other components; and the individual Backup Manager and Capacity Manager components, which leverage the StorageConsole interface. StorageConsole provides management and visibility into existing (i.e., 3rd party) backup platforms, tools, and devices; it is not a backup platform in and of itself.

The StorageConsole interface supports the serving of data to backup executives in two primary ways: Through a drag-n-drop and AJAX-enabled browser-based interface, and various reporting options including customizable report templates and an SQL report designer. A toolbar facilitates the delivery of reports via E-mail (on demand or on a schedule), and designed reports can be saved/shared with other StorageConsole users. Reports can be exported to HTML, Excel, and CSV.

The vendor states that the StorageConsole portal requires no proprietary ports; collecting its data via HTTPS communications.

Beneath this interface, two primary components are offered by the vendor for the management and analysis of the backup platform and its data.

Backup Manager provides real-time information as to the state and operations of their backup platforms; with support offered for VERITAS NetBackup, Symantec Backup Exec, Tivoli Storage Manager, EMC Legato Networker, HP Data Protector, Sun StorageTek ACSLS Manager, and Oracle Recovery Manager (RMAN). Features include backup success/failure rate reporting, discovery of unprotected data, file level backup status detail, identification of partial backups, compliance reporting, SLA reporting, chargebacks, more.

Capacity Manager focuses on capacity and utilization-based reporting of both existing storage arrays and the hosts that use them; including the ability to report such metrics as the relationships between LUNs and hosts, amount of capacity allocated and used by each host, and capacity allocated and used by application. Other features include predictive analysis (predict future storage capacity needs based on current usage and growth), application-specific threshold alerting, support for historical/current data reporting, and chargeback management. Capacity Manager supports arrays from Hitachi, EMC, HP (StorageWorks XP), NetApp (ONTAP 7.1+ and IBM N Series), and Sun (StorageTek 9900 series and StorEdge T3); and host systems running Windows, Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, or Linux.

New features of the latest StorageConsole release include:

- The aforementioned NetApp support in Capacity Manager

- Storage reclamation reports, detailing storage space that is unused and can therefore be reallocated

- A "Report Template Designer" wizard that relies on the product's underlying database views to enable report customizations

- Support for 64-bit Oracle

- A "My Reports" section wherein users can drag and drop and organize their own report templates and reports

StorageConsole, Backup Manager, and Capacity Manager are all available now. Entry pricing for Backup Management is $15,000 for 100 backup clients; while entry pricing for Capacity Management is $35,000 for 100 TB.

Visit the APTARE Web site for further information.