One of the coolest new features included in the latest PowerMax release is the ability to connect and move data to the Cloud. Users have been super interested in learning how connecting to the cloud can extend PowerMax data services for a number of reasons. Top use cases have included providing new consumption options to add more capacity, archiving and tiering inactive data to free up existing capacity, and the ability to hydrating apps and access the data in cloud.

Using Cloud Mobility for PowerMax allows users to get seamless and transparent movement of data from on-premise to the cloud. It’s secure since the data is encrypted. It’s also efficient since the data is compressed. It supports S3 compatible object storage that can be located at a public cloud providers AWS and Microsoft Azure. It can support Dell EMC ECS as well to provide a cost-effective on-premise object store. If you’re interested in the deep dive on the details, there’s a great Cloud Mobility for PowerMax white paper available.

Setting up and connecting PowerMax to the cloud takes seconds. The process is “symmple” (😊). All the admin needs to do is enter in the IP addresses for the cloud storage you want to connect into and follow the naming and verification steps to complete the set up. Thirty seconds later, you’re good to go.

What’s also cool is that management of the snaps to the cloud are all baked into the snapshot workflow and is managed via GUI or REST API. No vApps, external appliances, or 3rd party software tool addons required. You simply create a snap policy and decide if the snap lives on the local array or the connected cloud.

The data stored on the cloud can be either recovered directly back to the PowerMax or, via the AWS using the vApp available in the Amazon Marketplace. The process to access the data from AWS includes hydrating the data to EBS block storage and using EC2 compute infrastructure as a service to run the app. Its super useful for supporting secondary application use cases as running analytics, reporting or testing.

Finally, connecting your PowerMax to the Cloud is easy for users to consume. The feature is included with the array. Yes, it’s free. Existing PowerMax users can non-disruptively upgrade to the latest software level to install the Could Mobility. The feature runs as a native data service within the PowerMax software meaning there’s no external management apps or additional hardware required other than ethernet ports required to connect to the object store.

Net-net, PowerMax Cloud Mobility solves a common storage capacity problem, its super easy to install and use, and its free.  If you have a PowerMax in the environment today, give it a try.

We think users are really going to like it. 😊