IBM Spectrum Control vs. NetApp Element Software

IBM Spectrum Control is very well suited for the large enterprise where there is multi vendor environment in terms of storage and host virtualization. It is not suited at all where file storage is dominant. It is capable of providing very detailed reports as it leverages the IBM Cognos for that purpose and offers very detailed customization as well. It can even provide the enterprise with the SAN management capabilities as well.

• Monitoring data from our storage servers
• Provision of data analytics

Incentivized

• Must extend the management and monitoring to File storage.
• Performance monitoring of non IBM equipment may also be added.

Why didn't I give the full 10 out of 10? My problems are still: since I have been working with the software for more than 20 years, the installation on Windows hosts that are part of domain networks. In these networks, installing is nearly impossible due to group policies. In the opposite: without group policies - especially for Windows updates - you can barely manage the ISC server when on a MS Windows basis. But because the software works seamlessly after a successful installation and support is very responsive and helpful, ISC gets a 9 out of 10.

Incentivized

IBM Spectrum Control is still better than these three. Why? ISC is deployed locally within the customer's network and can receive real-time data from the customer's systems, while IBM StorageInsights is a cloud-based service offering that collects data in specific time windows. Plus, StorageInsights lacks many data sources and metrics that ISC can provide. PRTG and Checkmk are SNMP-based and can express alerting and performance monitoring in a previously configured window. They are unable to really drill down from the application via HBA, SAN, and storage controller to the volume of the storage system, and lack many metrics that ISC can provide. Also, these tools cannot predict performance or capacity growth. This is only possible with IBM Storage Insights (ISC).

Incentivized

• ISC select license has been "upgraded" so that IBM StorageInsights for ISC can be used. That helps especially customers who cannot maintain an on-prem installation.
• ISC can monitor and manage many systems deployed across several distant locations, which keeps us from installing ISC on every system the customer maintains.
• ISC makes troubleshooting, performance, and capacity prediction very easy when the end of the lifecycle for the current SAN and storage infrastructure is reached. This spares time and money.

Incentivized