Storage news update for September 22

In the rapidly evolving landscape of data storage and management, innovative solutions and partnerships are reshaping how businesses operate. From enhanced security measures to cutting-edge hardware developments, the storage industry is witnessing significant advancements that promise to streamline operations and bolster data protection. Here’s a closer look at some of the latest developments that are making waves in the storage sector.

Acronis partners with Seagate for enhanced storage solutions

Acronis has announced a strategic collaboration with Seagate, integrating Seagate’s S3-compatible Lyve Cloud Object Storage into its Acronis Archival Storage offering. This partnership aims to empower Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to deliver services with more cost-effective and compliant storage solutions. By leveraging this technology, MSPs can ensure that data management aligns with regulatory requirements while optimizing operational costs. For further details about this integration, visit here.

China’s Biwin unveils advanced Mini SSD technology

Biwin, a Chinese technology company, has introduced an innovative Mini SSD that is compact yet powerful, measuring just 15.0 mm × 17.0 mm × 1.4 mm. This new product supports PCIe Gen 4, achieving impressive sequential read speeds of up to 3700 MB/s and write speeds of 3400 MB/s. It utilizes TLC 3D NAND technology and features a modular design that enhances compatibility across a wide range of devices including laptops, tablets, smartphones, and even handheld gaming consoles.

• Modular slot design for easy plug-and-play functionality.
• Available in multiple capacities: 512 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB.
• Designed for broad compatibility with consumer and enterprise devices.

BlackFog enhances cybersecurity with new distribution partnership

BlackFog, a leading cybersecurity firm, has announced a distribution partnership with Exertis Enterprise aimed at expanding its reach in the UK and European markets. This collaboration will enable resellers and service providers to offer advanced solutions against unauthorized data exfiltration and evolving AI-driven threats. BlackFog’s on-device anti-data exfiltration (ADX) technology is crucial for organizations looking to safeguard sensitive data in today’s threat landscape.

Commvault's report highlights recovery improvements

Commvault has released findings from a recent report with ESG that illustrates the real-world impact of its Cleanroom Recovery and Cloud Rewind solutions. Key findings indicate that customers experienced:

• A whopping 99% reduction in recovery times.
• A 94% acceleration in rebuilding cloud infrastructure.
• Testing frequency improvement by 30 times.
• A 99% decrease in testing time.

Cristie Software launches new recovery capabilities

Cristie Software has announced the general availability of its Cristie System Recovery PBMR (Pre-Migration Bootable Recovery) for Dell Technologies PowerProtect Data Manager. This integration significantly enhances recovery capabilities, allowing for bare machine recovery to either physical or virtual environments. With features like Continuous Recovery Assurance, which automatically triggers a complete system recovery upon detection of new backups, Cristie is setting a new standard in data recovery solutions.

Databricks partners with AI startup to reduce emissions

Databricks has teamed up with the London-based AI startup Applied Computing to address emissions from heavy industries in India. This collaboration focuses on the development of Orbital, a foundation model engineered for energy-intensive sectors. Orbital can reduce emissions in energy operations by 10%, making it a vital tool for companies seeking to enhance their sustainability efforts.

Dell updates PowerProtect product line

Dell has rolled out significant updates to its PowerProtect product suite, which includes:

• The new PowerProtect Data Domain All-Flash appliance, enhancing cyber resiliency with increased data restore speeds.
• PowerProtect Data Manager, now featuring advanced ecosystem and security enhancements.
• Support for Data Domain All-Flash in PowerProtect Cyber Recovery, alongside CyberSense Analytics for Oracle database backups.
• PowerProtect Backup Services now allows the use of Microsoft Azure Storage as a backup target.

EU court affirms data privacy framework

In a recent ruling, the EU’s General Court upheld the European Commission’s approval of the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. This framework permits certified US companies to receive personal data from Europe under stringent privacy regulations. Despite concerns raised regarding US surveillance powers, the court maintained that existing checks and remedies are adequate under EU law.

Leadership changes at Firebolt

Firebolt, a supplier of postgreSQL-compatible SQL and real-time data analytics solutions, has appointed Hemanth Vedabargha as CEO, succeeding co-founder Eldad Farkash. This leadership transition aims to bolster Firebolt’s efforts in providing flexible data solutions that empower organizations to optimize their data management and analytics capabilities.

Firevault launches innovative data protection products

Firevault, based in the UK, has introduced three new products aimed at enhancing data security:

• Vault: A secured offline digital vault for protecting sensitive documents and records, available in various capacities.
• Storage: A scalable offline data storage system designed to safeguard critical business information.
• Platform (FV-PaaS): A modular offline-first platform for secure data management and protection.

Gartner's latest storage platform rankings

Gartner has released its updated Enterprise Storage Platform Magic Quadrant, with Pure Storage leading the rankings, followed closely by NetApp and HPE. This report underscores the competitive landscape of the storage industry and highlights the criteria vendors must meet to be included, such as revenue thresholds and growth metrics.

Collaborative efforts in South Korea

Graid Technology, Giga Computing, and Miruware have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding focusing on the South Korean market. This collaboration aims to enhance the integration of Graid’s GPU-accelerated storage solutions into Giga’s server platforms, promoting joint marketing initiatives and customer development efforts.

Hitachi Vantara's ROI achievements

A recent Forrester Total Economic Impact (TEI) study has found that customers using Hitachi Vantara’s Virtual Storage Platform One (VSP One) have realized substantial benefits, including a 285% return on investment (ROI) and a payback period of just seven months. This study highlights the growing importance of efficient storage solutions in driving business profitability.

Earth Sciences New Zealand adopts HPE technology

Earth Sciences New Zealand has selected HPE’s Cray XD2000 system to enhance its meteorological forecasting capabilities. This advanced system will provide three times more computing power, enabling the organization to run multiple AI-powered simulations for more accurate weather predictions, thereby bolstering national resilience against climate-related hazards.

Indicium receives funding for AI integration

Indicium, a global AI and data consultancy, has secured new funding from Databricks Ventures. This partnership is expected to deepen their collaboration, focusing on modernizing data platforms and delivering AI solutions to major companies worldwide.

Keepit expands leadership team

Keepit, a cloud-based SaaS data protection provider, has appointed Jan Ursi as Vice President of Global Channel, bringing extensive experience from his previous roles in several tech companies. This appointment signifies Keepit's commitment to enhancing its market presence and partnerships.

Japan invests in Micron Technology

According to reports from Nikkei, Japan plans to invest approximately ¥536 billion ($3.63 billion) into Micron Technology for research and capital expenditures. This funding aims to support Micron’s expansion efforts in producing advanced memory chips, demonstrating Japan's commitment to bolstering its semiconductor industry.

Increase in RDIMM and eSSD demand

Analysts from Wedbush have noted a significant increase in demand for RDIMM and eSSD products. This surge appears linked to growing requirements from cloud service providers for compute SSDs, amid ongoing shortages in HDD supply, which is driving a shift towards QLC technology.

N-able introduces Anomaly Detection as a Service

N-able has launched Anomaly Detection as a Service (ADaaS) to enhance its Cove Data Protection offerings against cyber threats. This service introduces Honeypots, which serve as a proactive defense mechanism against brute-force attacks, ensuring data and infrastructure remain secure. Future enhancements to ADaaS are also planned to further strengthen protection capabilities.

NAKIVO enhances backup capabilities

NAKIVO has rolled out enhancements to its Backup & Replication service, allowing customers to store backups across various environments, including local and cloud storage. This flexibility, combined with features like encryption and air gapping, ensures robust disaster recovery solutions for diverse IT scenarios.

PCI-SIG advances PCI Express 8.0 specification

The PCI-SIG has announced that the PCI Express 8.0 specification is progressing, with revision 0.3 now available to members. The new specifications aim to enhance performance and reliability, while ensuring backward compatibility with previous generations of PCIe technology.

• 256.0 GT/s raw bit rate and up to 1.0 TB/s bi-directionally via x16 configuration.
• Reviewing new connector technology.
• Confirming latency and FEC targets.
• Ensuring reliability targets are met.
• Maintaining backward compatibility.
• Developing protocol enhancements for improved bandwidth.
• Focusing on power reduction techniques.

Pinecone and Mistral AI collaboration

Pinecone has become the first vector database integrated into Mistral AI’s Le Chat platform, enhancing its capabilities in enterprise AI applications. This integration allows users to efficiently search and analyze vector data directly within their workflows, making Pinecone an essential resource for businesses leveraging AI.

Aquant optimizes its AI platform

Aquant, an Agentic AI platform provider, has adopted Pinecone’s vector database to replace its previous infrastructure. This transition has led to significant improvements in performance and efficiency:

• 98% retrieval accuracy.
• Full response time reduced from ~24 seconds to ~13.7 seconds.
• Initiated responses are now twice as fast.
• Reduced no-response queries by 53%.

Precisely enhances data integrity suite

Precisely is expanding its Data Integrity Suite with a new generation of AI agents and a context-aware Copilot. This innovation is designed to automate data management processes, ensuring data accuracy and consistency across complex hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

Progress Software launches new generative AI platform

Progress Software has introduced the Progress Agentic RAG platform, aimed at making trustworthy generative AI accessible to organizations of all sizes. This self-service offering is designed to help businesses leverage their unstructured data effectively, starting at a competitive price, thereby empowering them to gain a significant edge in the market.

Scality appoints new VP of Product Marketing

Scality has announced the appointment of Tom Leyden as its new VP of Product Marketing. Leyden’s extensive experience in SaaS, storage, backup, and AI positions him well to drive Scality's market strategies and growth initiatives.

TrendForce identifies future storage trends

TrendForce reports indicate that the next two years will see a shift towards high-performance inference services in AI infrastructure, with increased demand for nearline SSDs as traditional HDDs face shortages. This highlights the importance of NAND Flash suppliers adapting to meet the evolving storage demands.

VAST Data recognized among top cloud companies

VAST Data has been ranked 24th in the 2025 Forbes Cloud 100, reflecting its rapid growth and innovation in the cloud storage sector. This recognition comes alongside a verified Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 84, marking it as a leader in customer satisfaction within the industry.

VDURA launches new GPU reference architecture

VDURA has introduced its first scalable AMD Instinct GPU reference architecture, designed to optimize large-scale GPU implementations. This architecture, which combines the VDURA V5000 storage platform with AMD Instinct MI300 Series Accelerators, promises to eliminate performance bottlenecks and enhance deployment efficiency in demanding AI and high-performance computing environments.

YMTC explores entry into HBM market

Recent reports suggest that YMTC, a Chinese memory manufacturer, is considering entering the High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) market, potentially through a collaboration with CXMT. This move could significantly impact the competitive landscape of memory technology.

IBM and Supermicro collaborate on storage solutions

IBM, Supermicro, and Xinnor have developed a reference architecture that integrates IBM Storage Scale with Supermicro’s hardware and Xinnor’s software RAID solutions. This collaboration aims to streamline storage solutions for enterprises, enhancing performance and scalability.

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