IBM just unveiled a smaller-scale edition of their storage virtualization solution called IBM System Storage SVC Entry Edition.  From the interwebs comes a press release which includes this juicy quote:

“The idea is to make it more affordable for smaller companies – the entry edition is priced per disk drive with a starting configuration costing around $35,000 for five drives. The regular SVC is priced per usable capacity, starting at $50,000 for 1 TB.”

Wow.  It’s definitely expensive, but I’ve heard from two separate customers at two different SQL Server events now that SVC has met or exceeded their expectations.

One of my SSWUG Virtual Conference sessions is Virtual Storage Pros & Cons, and I talk about the ideas behind products like IBM SVC, what to look out for during implementations, and how they can benefit database administrators.  That virtual conference is only $100 – look at that price in comparison to SVC’s pricing, and it’s a no-brainer to go get some independent opinions before you buy.  I definitely don’t have anything negative to say about SVC, but I do talk about some cautions you need to heed during implementations.