FileTek adds support for large objects

Being able to store data wherever you want has always been the central value of FileTek Inc.'s StorHouse software. With Version 3.0, released last month, you can also store whatever you want.

StorHouse 3.0 hierarchical storage management (HSM) software enables users to store large data objects, such as video, audio and photo files, on the most cost-effective storage media.

HSM software is designed to enable information technology shops to reduce storage costs by using a mix of storage media. For example, you could store frequently needed files on faster, costly hard disks, while putting seldom-used files on slower, but less expensive, optical disk or tape library systems. HSM software automatically migrates the files to less expensive media according to predefined policies, and it handles the retrieval when users or applications need archived data.

The new support for binary large objects and character large objects in StorHouse should especially be of interest to government intelligence agencies that need to store large amounts of rich media files, such as photos and graphics, according to John Burgess, co-founder, vice president and chief technology officer at FileTek. An earlier version of the product is used at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

In addition to the support for large objects, what sets StorHouse apart from competing HSM systems is its more targeted and efficient approach to retrieving data that has been moved to slower-access media, FileTek officials say.

StorHouse 3.0 HMS software runs on Sun Microsystem Inc.'s Solaris operating system.