InfoStor : Continuity releases DR management software, June 2008 Page 1

By Kevin Komiega

June 20, 2008—Continuity Software is set to release version 3.0 of its RecoverGuard disaster-recovery (DR) monitoring and management software with a new set of enhancements that allows the product to detect and correct DR threats and vulnerabilities in VMware environments.

RecoverGuard 3.0 also features new host configuration gap detection signatures, integration with configuration management databases (CMDBs) and ticket management systems, as well as Oracle Data Guard and Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) platform support.

RecoverGuard is agent-less software that reads and collects configuration information for storage devices, databases, and hosts on a daily basis. The software then uses a gap detection engine that compares configuration information against a database of known problems to make sure DR plans and configuration are synchronized.

The new release offers users the ability to map their VMware environments to determine all of the interdependencies between the virtual and physical layers. RecoverGuard 3.0 analyzes ESX Server, CIM, and VMFS configurations and their mapping to physical devices. Continuity has added new VMware-specific gap signatures to the software's knowledge base based on VMware best practices, including data tampering, data completeness, data consistency, and optimization recommendations.

"We developed version 3.0 with the goal of connecting to VMware ESX server to understand all of the mappings between virtual entities and physical storage devices," says Avi Stone, director of marketing at Continuity Software. "In addition, we've developed several new gaps related to VMware best practices. We did this because many end users only read the VMware manual to the extent that they gain enough knowledge to make the system run. They are not really aware of all of the vendor's best practices around recovery time and recovery point objectives."

While most of the new features in version 3.0 are related to VMware support, the rest are meant to help customers integrate RecoverGuard with their legacy hardware and software.

Continuity has tightened its integration with CMDBs and ticket management systems, including BMC Remedy and HP OpenView, allowing users to maintain one point of contact for monitoring and managing their environment. As a result, RecoverGuard 3.0 can now be configured to send specific tickets and reports to these systems.

The company also added gap detection support for HDS and Oracle Data Guard platforms. RecoverGuard 3.0 can now scan HDS TrueCopy solutions, as well as HiCommand Application Server, Adaptable Modular Storage (AMS), Workgroup Modular Storage (WMS), Universal Storage Platform V (USP V), and Universal Storage Platform VM (USP VM). In addition, RecoverGuard 3.0 can scan Oracle Data Guard configurations for gaps and vulnerabilities.

Stone says Continuity's initial focus was on building support for high-end EMC and NetApp storage systems. The goal now is to expand RecoverGuard's coverage to more enterprise-class platforms and eventually extend the software's reach down into the midrange.

"Support for IBM's platforms is next on tap, and it will be the last enterprise line we support before we begin to address midsize solutions such as EMC's Clariion line," says Stone.

RecoverGuard is available as a stand-alone product with an annual license fee of $2,000 per protected server. The DR Assurance service raises the price to $3,200 per protected server per year. Continuity also offers a DR Assurance service based on RecoverGuard.

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