SNIA Demonstrates Extensible Access Method (XAM) Interoperability

SNIA Demonstrates First Multi-Vendor Fixed-Content Solution Based on XAM

SNW Fall Demonstration by EMC, HP, Sun, and Vignette Highlights Strength of XAM Specification and Value of Standardized Access Method for Fixed Content

Dallas, TX, USA. October 15, 2007.

The Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) today announced that it is utilizing the Extensible Access Method (XAM) specification for the first time in a demonstration in the Storage Networking World Solutions Center. Four distinct information management applications based on the XAM specification are provided by EMC, HP, Sun Microsystems, and Vignette. The demonstration illustrates XAM's ability to protect end user information from technology lock-in by decoupling storage systems from data applications. XAM delivers unmatched interoperability and storage transparency to end users, along with the ability to assure information immutability, to meet long-term digital information retention requirements. The demonstrated storage platforms are provided by EMC, HP, and Sun, highlighting the interoperability and ease of deployment of XAM.

"This demonstration is not possible without the standard interface to fixed content that XAM provides. As increases occur in the number of solutions, applications, and end users focused on managing and retaining the ever-expanding volume of digital information for the long term, the need for a standard to help deliver information based upon Information Lifecycle Management best practices continues to increase," said Christina Casten, Co-Chair of the SNIA XAM Initiative.

The XAM Initiative and associated specification development efforts continue to progress and build momentum. More than forty-five (45) companies, which include software providers, storage vendors, and application developers, are participating in the initiative and its two associated Technical Work Groups. XAM development efforts are on-track as the Association plans to deliver the specification in 2008 followed by its submission for ANSI and ISO accreditation. In parallel with the specification work is the development of the XAM Software Development Kit, which will be licensed to the industry.

"We are very excited to be able to demonstrate the power of XAM and show that all of our collaborative hard work is delivering a specification that provides tangible value to end users, vendors, and application developers," said Vincent Franceschini, SNIA's 2007 Chairman. "In our first public demonstration at Storage Networking World this week, we are able to show a records and management application, a file archiving system, a database archiving solution, and a fourth custom imaging application, all utilizing the current version 0.6 XAM Application Programming Interface to store, retrieve, query, and manage data across disparate fixed content storage systems."

The XAM specification is aimed at delivering value to three audiences: Independant Software Vendors (ISVs), storage end users, and storage vendors. XAM as a standard interface provides a framework for the coordination of information and content metadata among applications and storage systems. The specification will help simplify the porting and testing procedures for ISVs and broaden the market for storage vendors. For storage users looking to automate their storage migration and align their efforts with compliance requirements, the XAM specification will help reduce vendor lock-in to long-term digital information retention solutions by decoupling the back-end storage from the application. The specification is also aimed at alleviating some of the challenges associated with migrating data from different storage devices within an electronic archive, which typically occurs every three to five years.

For more information on the XAM Initiative and specification, please visit:

www.snia.org/xam

About the SNIA

The Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) is a not-for-profit global organization, made up of some 400 member companies and 7,000 individuals spanning virtually the entire storage industry. SNIA's mission is to lead the storage industry worldwide in developing and promoting standards, technologies, and educational services to empower organizations in the management of information. To this end, the SNIA is uniquely committed to delivering standards, education, and services that will propel open storage networking solutions into the broader market. For additional information, visit the SNIA web site at www.snia.org.

About the XAM Initiative

The SNIA XAM Initiative's mission is to drive adoption of its forthcoming Extensible Access Method (XAM) specification. This Initiative will build and serve a XAM community that includes storage vendors, independent software vendors, and end users to ensure that the specification fulfills market needs for a fixed content data management interface standard. These needs include interoperability, information assurance (security), storage transparency, long-term records retention and automation for Information Lifecycle Management (ILM)-based practices. To learn more, visit www.snia.org/xam.

Contact

Ogilvy Public Relations
Dan La Russo
Tel: +1 303-634-2632
Cell: +1 720-840-8254
Email: dan.larusso@ogilvypr.com

Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive. See additional details in the news story: "SNIA Demonstrates Extensible Access Method (XAM) Interoperability."

SEARCH Advanced Search ABOUT Site Map CP RSS Channel Contact Us Sponsoring CP About Our Sponsors NEWS Cover Stories Articles & Papers Press Releases CORE STANDARDS XML SGML Schemas XSL/XSLT/XPath XLink XML Query CSS SVG TECHNOLOGY REPORTS XML Applications General Apps Government Apps Academic Apps EVENTS LIBRARY Introductions FAQs Bibliography Technology and Society Semantics Tech Topics Software Related Standards Historic	SNIA Demonstrates Extensible Access Method (XAM) Interoperability SNIA Demonstrates First Multi-Vendor Fixed-Content Solution Based on XAM SNW Fall Demonstration by EMC, HP, Sun, and Vignette Highlights Strength of XAM Specification and Value of Standardized Access Method for Fixed Content Dallas, TX, USA. October 15, 2007. The Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) today announced that it is utilizing the Extensible Access Method (XAM) specification for the first time in a demonstration in the Storage Networking World Solutions Center. Four distinct information management applications based on the XAM specification are provided by EMC, HP, Sun Microsystems, and Vignette. The demonstration illustrates XAM's ability to protect end user information from technology lock-in by decoupling storage systems from data applications. XAM delivers unmatched interoperability and storage transparency to end users, along with the ability to assure information immutability, to meet long-term digital information retention requirements. The demonstrated storage platforms are provided by EMC, HP, and Sun, highlighting the interoperability and ease of deployment of XAM. "This demonstration is not possible without the standard interface to fixed content that XAM provides. As increases occur in the number of solutions, applications, and end users focused on managing and retaining the ever-expanding volume of digital information for the long term, the need for a standard to help deliver information based upon Information Lifecycle Management best practices continues to increase," said Christina Casten, Co-Chair of the SNIA XAM Initiative. The XAM Initiative and associated specification development efforts continue to progress and build momentum. More than forty-five (45) companies, which include software providers, storage vendors, and application developers, are participating in the initiative and its two associated Technical Work Groups. XAM development efforts are on-track as the Association plans to deliver the specification in 2008 followed by its submission for ANSI and ISO accreditation. In parallel with the specification work is the development of the XAM Software Development Kit, which will be licensed to the industry. "We are very excited to be able to demonstrate the power of XAM and show that all of our collaborative hard work is delivering a specification that provides tangible value to end users, vendors, and application developers," said Vincent Franceschini, SNIA's 2007 Chairman. "In our first public demonstration at Storage Networking World this week, we are able to show a records and management application, a file archiving system, a database archiving solution, and a fourth custom imaging application, all utilizing the current version 0.6 XAM Application Programming Interface to store, retrieve, query, and manage data across disparate fixed content storage systems." The XAM specification is aimed at delivering value to three audiences: Independant Software Vendors (ISVs), storage end users, and storage vendors. XAM as a standard interface provides a framework for the coordination of information and content metadata among applications and storage systems. The specification will help simplify the porting and testing procedures for ISVs and broaden the market for storage vendors. For storage users looking to automate their storage migration and align their efforts with compliance requirements, the XAM specification will help reduce vendor lock-in to long-term digital information retention solutions by decoupling the back-end storage from the application. The specification is also aimed at alleviating some of the challenges associated with migrating data from different storage devices within an electronic archive, which typically occurs every three to five years. For more information on the XAM Initiative and specification, please visit: www.snia.org/xam About the SNIA The Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) is a not-for-profit global organization, made up of some 400 member companies and 7,000 individuals spanning virtually the entire storage industry. SNIA's mission is to lead the storage industry worldwide in developing and promoting standards, technologies, and educational services to empower organizations in the management of information. To this end, the SNIA is uniquely committed to delivering standards, education, and services that will propel open storage networking solutions into the broader market. For additional information, visit the SNIA web site at www.snia.org. About the XAM Initiative The SNIA XAM Initiative's mission is to drive adoption of its forthcoming Extensible Access Method (XAM) specification. This Initiative will build and serve a XAM community that includes storage vendors, independent software vendors, and end users to ensure that the specification fulfills market needs for a fixed content data management interface standard. These needs include interoperability, information assurance (security), storage transparency, long-term records retention and automation for Information Lifecycle Management (ILM)-based practices. To learn more, visit www.snia.org/xam. Contact Ogilvy Public Relations Dan La Russo Tel: +1 303-634-2632 Cell: +1 720-840-8254 Email: dan.larusso@ogilvypr.com Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive. See additional details in the news story: "SNIA Demonstrates Extensible Access Method (XAM) Interoperability."