Getting Control of Storage Vendors

Should your storage vendor have free rein in your data center?

No, says Axeda, which has released a new version of its software designed to govern the activity of storage vendors engaged in remote "dial in" support for enterprise customers.

Axeda's ServiceLink 5 for the Enterprise includes software that works with the VPNs most organizations have to enable remote support by storage vendors. The software adds authentication, tracking and auditing, service metrics reporting, and case management to the customer's network.

Basically, it controls vendor access and proves to any external auditors that service performed on the storage network did not violate any regulations for data access or handling.

For years, Axeda has delivered best-in-class remote service solutions to some of the world’s leading product manufacturers," said Dale Calder, CEO of Axeda, in a prepared statement. (The vendor counts EMC, NetApp, and Quantum among customers that use its software as part of service to their customers.) "During that time, we have received numerous requests from large IT organizations to manage all external access with the same level of security that Axeda-enabled suppliers have." Hence, the first version of ServiceLink that puts control in users' hands.So far, just a handful of customers are piloting Axeda's software, which runs under Windows, Linux, or Solaris. None are available to comment at this time. But it's generally available, with starter packages priced at around $50,000.

It will be interesting to see whether enterprises glom onto this chance for vendor support governance. Certainly, it's an idea that seems highly practical.Have a comment on this story? Please click "Discuss" below. If you'd like to contact Byte and Switch's editors directly, send us a message.