Liberty Group has selected Shoden Data Systems as its data storage partner, in a deal that sees the supply and implementation of over 4TB of storage.
Following the initial installation of a Hitachi Data SystemsLightning Freedom 9960 storage system, Liberty has opted to replace its older technology disk array (Mainframe and Unix) with the data storage vendor's product.
Hamid Essop, divisional director of Information Technology and Operations at Liberty, explains why the decision was taken: "Our main concern originally was to consolidate data and improve total cost of ownership (TCO). The installation of a second Freedom 9960 will enable us to guarantee business continuity, improve customer service levels and further consolidate storage across our Unix and Mainframe environments.
"This step," continues Essop, "allows us to address the expansion and management of the disk environment. The cost of maintaining the existing disk arrays was simply not viable. As a result, we are deploying Hitachi Data Systems storage more widely in the data centre."
Fanie van Rensburg, MD of Shoden Data Systems, adds: "We aimed to provide a storage infrastructure that would enable Liberty to take advantage of storage capacity on demand. During periods of rapid growth, the storage infrastructure has the flexibility to respond to demands without any downtime."
According to Essop, the group's deployment of larger and more data-dependent applications necessitates highly scaleable, flexible and reliable. "The Liberty Group selected a storage partner that could address our total storage infrastructure needs, both short- and long-term. Shoden Data Systems has more than met the challenge."
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With offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town, Shoden Data Systems (Pty) Ltd is the sole distributor for Hitachi Data Systems in SA. In addition, Shoden Data Systems is the sole distributor of INRANGE Technologies Corporation, the world's leading manufacturer of channel extenders, fibre switches and ESCON directors.
Shoden Data Systems is also a Veritas Premier Partner and provides integrated, managed, best-of-breed Storage Area Network solutions to the marketplace.
Based on more than 200 collective years of experience in the service, support and marketing of Hitachi products, Shoden Data Systems uses its intellectual capital and industry leading products to provide customers with total solutions in the storage, enterprise servers and connectivity arenas. The following offerings are available:
Storage - the HDS Freedom storage range, including Lightning 9900 and 9200. Connectivity - the Inrange FC/9000 Fibre Channel Director, ESCON directors and channel extenders.
Hitachi Data Systems
Committed to helping customers exploit the value of information technology for success in the Internet economy, Hitachi Data Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd (NYSE:HIT), is a leading provider of business solutions for the world's most information-intensive corporations. For further information on Hitachi Data Systems, access www.hds.com.
Hitachi Ltd
Hitachi, Ltd, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading global electronics companies, with fiscal 2000 (ended 31 March 2001) consolidated sales of 8 417 billion yen ($67.9 billion*) The company manufactures and markets a wide range of products, including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and power and industrial equipment. For more information on Hitachi, Ltd, please visit Hitachi's Web site at http://global.hitachi.com
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